Jaguars reportedly seeking to interview Panthers coach for their DC opening

The Jaguars, for the second time in as many years, want to interview a Panthers coach for their defensive coordinator position.

The Carolina Panthers could lose another one of their coaches this offseason.

According to ESPN senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler, the Jacksonville Jaguars have requested to interview Panthers defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley for their opening at defensive coordinator.

Cooley was hired by Carolina in 2023, when he began with the organization as their secondary/cornerbacks coach. He was promoted to his current passing game coordinator position before the start of the 2024 campaign.

Previously a member of the Los Angeles Rams’ staff, Cooley has already shared a sideline with new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen. That crossing came in 2022, when Cooley was the defensive backs coach and Coen the offensive coordinator.

This marks the second time in as many years that the Jaguars have had interest in hiring a Panthers coach for their defensive coordinator post. Jacksonville requested an interview with Carolina defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the same position in 2023, but were denied.

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Liam Coen made interesting comments at first Jaguars press conference

If things were crazy enough, on Monday, Liam Coen was introduced as the Jaguars coach, and some further comments were made. 

The situation surrounding the departure of Liam Coen from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may be the most chaotic of any assistant coach ever. Going from agreeing to an extension to leaving for the Jaguars in a 24-hour span was a whirlwind for the team and fans to process.

If things were crazy enough, Liam Coen was introduced as the Jaguars coach on Monday, and some further comments were made.

To begin with, during his press conference, Coen only mentioned Todd Bowles and Mike Evans by name when discussing Tampa Bay. When he discussed Baker Mayfield, he simply referred to him as “the quarterback.”

Coen would go on to give a statement saying, “For us to have found a home, for the first time in a long time, that we can maybe plant some roots and truly be in a community and a family that we love and trust.”

Ironically, Liam Coen gave the same line when he was introduced at Kentucky in 2023.

Bucs fans shouldn’t be mad at someone for taking a chance to be an NFL head coach. Those opportunities don’t come around very often, if ever, as a coach. Fans and the team can be mad because they were dragged along, and Coen could only say what he said on Monday.

Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times spoke to Coen on Monday, and the former Bucs assistant said he believes “time heals all wounds.” When the teams face off in the preseason in August, it will be interesting to see how well-healed those wounds are on the Bucs side of things.

Coen’s full introductory press conference can be found on their YouTube page.

Liam Coen hysterically whiffed on his ‘Duval!’ chant during his Jaguars press conference

Oh no!

Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen wasn’t afraid to break out the cringe during his Monday introductory press conference.

Trying to curry favor with Jaguars fans, Coen tried to do the famous “Duval!” chant for all in attendance at his presser. Sadly, it did not go well.

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Coen’s “Duval!” sounded like a Tickle Me Elmo doll running out of battery power or that sad horn that plays on The Price is Right when something goes wrong.

If he just puts a bit more energy into it, we think there is plenty of room for improvement. For now, Coen will have to put amending his “Duval!” chant high on his list of head coaching priorities in Jacksonville.

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Highlights from Jaguars head coach Liam Coen’s introductory press conference

New Jaguars’ head coach Liam Coen had his introductory press conference on Monday. Here are the highlights and everything you need to know.

New Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach Liam Coen met with the media on Monday for his introductory press conference.

In case you missed it, here are the highlights from it all:

– Shad Khan began by saying that after the 10 initial interviews for the head coaching role, he realized there was a big opportunity out there for the Jaguars and that Liam Coen was the right person for the job. “We got our man,” said Khan about Coen.

– Coen notes the team he wants to build is one that is complementary with all three phases working together. He wants his team to play fast and physical, and it’s all about the players. “Players over plays,” said Coen.

– “We’re going to work our tails off to bring championships to Jacksonville,” said Coen at the end of his opening statement.

– Coen was asked about how last week unfolded, “it started to become more clear with every hour that this was an opportunity you couldn’t pass up,” said Coen. He adds that he will always love his players and time in Tampa Bay. When asked, Coen said that the Jaguars’ moving on from Trent Baalke at GM was not a factor in his change of heart.

– Coen confirms that he will be calling the offensive plays. “We’ve got to build it around him,” said Coen about Trevor Lawrence and adds that Lawrence will be apart of building the offense.

– Khan said that the fundamental question asked to all the interviewees was how do they get the most out of Lawrence and the offense? Coen really impressed and in NFL circles even before the interview, Khan had heard very good things about Coen.

– “This is not a four win team,” said Coen. A big thing to address is how do the Jaguars go from finding ways to lose games to finding ways to win.

– Coen notes that first and foremost, the culture has to be established. Once the standard is established, then they’ll get into the fundamentals and technique, followed by the scheme. He reiterated that it all begins with culture and standards.

– Khan said he wants Coen to get settled in and assemble his staff and then they’ll continue with the GM search.

– Khan was asked when it became apparent to part ways with Baalke, and he said that after the 10 initial interviews it was time to reflect and that was the decision that was best.

– “We are going to have a position,” said Khan about Tony Boselli. The Jaguars are checking with the league into what roles are out there and what best fits for Boselli.

– Coen was asked about how he turned the Bucs’ run game around and noted the importance of all 11 players buying in. He mentioned receiver Mike Evans throwing key blocks.

– “Definitely,” said Coen when asked if he considers himself apart of Sean McVay’s coaching tree from his time with him in LA. “That was where I learned truly the game.”

– “That is important, to protect our home turf,” said Coen.

– What about this team excites you the most? Coen says the “leadership,” noting the roles Lawrence and Josh Hines-Allen play in that regard. Coen adds the 20 draft picks the Jaguars have over the next two years and the players already on the roster. He notes the importance of collaborating with the players to maximizing the opportunity that’s out there.

– “Communication,” said Coen when asked how he establishes the culture he wants. He also adds the importance of building out a great coaching staff to work with the players, along with the importance of alignment with the front office.

– “If we can all be honest with each other in this building, that’s when we’ll be able to grow,” said Coen on what he learned from McVay.

– Khan notes the importance of Coen being apart of the decision making when it comes to the roster so he has the right players.

– Coen noted he importance of the trenches. Success in the playoffs starts with being able to move the ball in the run game and begin able to contain the run.

(This article will be updated as the press conference unfolds.)

WATCH: New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen arrives for introductory press conference

Watch as new Jaguars’ head coach Liam Coen arrives to the team facility to his introductory press conference.

New Jacksonville Jaguars’ head coach Liam Coen arrived at the team facility on Monday ahead of his introductory press conference.

The press conference will take place at 3:30 PM ET and can be viewed on the Jaguars’ various social media channels.

Coen will be the eighth head coach in team history and joins the Jaguars after a highly successful 2024 season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator.

Under Coen, quarterback Baker Mayfield would put together a career year in several key categories, while the Bucs’ offense was the only unit in football to rank top-five in scoring, rushing yards per game, and passing yards per game.

One of the key tasks for Coen will be getting Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offense back on track, and a key element in making that happen will be with a more consistent running game.

There is also a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz that Coen is playing an important role in the Jaguars’ search for their next general manager as well.

Jaguars set date and time for Liam Coen’s introductory press conference

The Jaguars have set a date and time for Liam Coen’s introductory press conference as the team’s next head coach.

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced when new head coach Liam Coen’s introductory press conference will be.

On the team’s social media channels, which includes YouTube, X, Facebook, and Instagram, along with on the team site, Coen will meet with the local media at 3:30 PM ET on Monday, January 27th.

Coen comes to the Jaguars after one season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator. Under Coen, the Tampa Bay offense was one of the most productive in football, ranking top five in points per game, rushing yards per game, and passing yards per game. No other offense in football accomplished that feat in 2024.

An obvious top priority for Coen as the head coach will be maximizing Trevor Lawrence’s abilities–as he did with Baker Mayfield in 2024–and a key contributor to accomplishing that will be with a more consistent run game for the Jaguars.

Coen is also going to play an important role in the Jaguars’ search for a next general manager as well, according NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

One part of Coen’s transition to this head coaching role will be building out his coaching staff. One recent report mentioned the Jaguars having interest in Chip Kelly for their offensive coordinator role.

Going beyond the Xs and Os, as Lawrence described during his end of season press conference, a coach who can help reset the culture in Jacksonville will also be an important quality to have when it comes to filling this all-encompassing role.

Buccaneers interview Chargers coach for job opening

Marcus Brady has served as an offensive coordinator before in his coaching career.

The Buccaneers completed an interview with Chargers passing game coordinator Marcus Brady for their offensive coordinator position.

Tampa Bay has a void to fill after former offensive coordinator Liam Coen was hired as the Jaguars’ head coach.

Brady finished his first season in Los Angeles. Before coming to L.A. last offseason, Brady was the Eagles’ senior offensive assistant.

Before joining Philadelphia, Brady was with the Colts for five seasons, starting as their assistant quarterbacks coach in 2018.

That year, he helped Andrew Luck finish with one of the best seasons of his career, in which he threw for 4,593 yards and 39 touchdowns en route to winning the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Brady was promoted to quarterbacks coach the following season. In 2020, Philip Rivers finished the season in the top ten in completion percentage (68%) and passing yards (4,169).

He became the Colts’ offensive coordinator in 2021. That year, Indianapolis finished second in the NFL in rushing yards per game (149.4) and yards per carry (5.1) and tied for the fifth-most rushing touchdowns (22).

Before joining the NFL ranks, Brady was an offensive coordinator in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for eight seasons.

Bucs request interview with Rams assistant coach for vacant OC position

Todd Bowles and Jason Licht are wasting no time. They have already identified one potential replacement for Coen. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers do not have time to dwell on their loss of Liam Coen from the coaching staff. Regardless of how it all played out, time stops for no one. This team is close to being a serious contender in the NFL, not just the NFC, and the next step in solidifying that is finding a new offensive coordinator.

Todd Bowles and Jason Licht are wasting no time. They have already identified one potential replacement for Coen.

Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the Bucs have requested an interview with Los Angeles Rams assistant coach Nate Scheelhaase. Scheelhaase currently serves as the Rams offensive assistant and pass-game consultant under head coach Sean McVay. If it sounds familiar that the Bucs are interviewing a Rams assistant, it is because that is where they found Coen last offseason. 

If they decide to go with their first target, it would make sense for the Bucs and Baker Mayfield. Being under McVay, their offenses and language would be similar, which would skew any learning curve the team may have to deal with.

Before being with the Rams, Scheelhaase served as the offensive coordinator for Iowa State and led that offense to mild success. They ranked 50th in passing offense, 103rd in rushing offense, and 81st overall in total offense.

Those numbers leave something to be desired but having Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving, and Mike Evans may help boost those numbers.

Former Kentucky offensive coordinator has an NFL head coaching job

Former Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen has a new job in the NFL.

The career trajectory of Liam Coen has been an interesting one. Long before he joined Kentucky football, he started as an assistant at schools like Brown and Rhode Island before becoming the offensive coordinator at Maine.

From there, he was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as an assistant. From there, it began to jump around. He spent one year with Kentucky, then went back to the Rams for a year. Then it was back to Lexington for a year before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year as their OC.

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It turns out that the Bucs job would also last just one season. This week, he left Tampa to become the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. It will be his first head coaching position.

In his one year with the Buccaneeers, the were among the best in the league in terms of passing offense and scoring. They made the playoffs as well. It was a huge success, and earned him a promotion this week.

Congrats to Coach Coen on the new job.

Liam Coen saved the Jacksonville Jaguars from themselves

Liam Coen ended a wild 48-hour saga by accepting the Jaguars head coaching job. In doing so, he saved the franchise from itself.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen reversed course on Friday, leaving an offer on the table to stay in Tampa and become the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL to accept the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching job.

Coen’s 180 ended a wild 48-hour saga in which he initially turned down the Jaguars only to covertly resume conversations following the dismissal of general manager Trent Baalke.

And by taking the job, he may have just saved the franchise’s skin.

After Ben Johnson, the highly-coveted offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, accepted the Chicago Bears head coaching job, Jacksonville’s next move seemed pretty obvious.

While Johnson was reportedly viewed as a top option to replace fired head coach Doug Pederson, the team was also quite impressed with Coen, who apparently wowed the Jags’ brass in his initial interview. According to Jaguar Report’s John Shipley, Johnson and Coen were viewed within the building as candidates 1a and 1b.

However, Coen, who was scheduled to return for a second, in-person interview stunned everyone — including Jags owner Shad Khan and Baalke — when he removed his name from consideration on Wednesday afternoon. As was the case with Johnson, Baalke’s presence played a factor in Coen’s lack of interest in the job, though it wasn’t the primary reason, according to ESPN’s Michael DiRocco.

Still, it was enough for Khan to do what many expected he would do when he fired Pederson and oust Baalke, too. Within hours of Coen’s initial decision to stick with the Buccaneers, Baalke was unemployed.

Ahead of the coaching carousel cycle, NFL insiders indicated that by not firing Baalke along with Pederson, as Khan was widely expected to do in league circles, the Jaguars could potentially be limiting their pool of interested candidates. That turned out to be the case.

Khan’s decision to wait to fire Baalke until his top two options told him no was horrific from a process perspective, but regardless, a franchise that hasn’t strung together back-to-back playoff runs since 1998-99 lucked into some hope.

It remains to be seen if Coen’s run as a head coach will be a successful one. The 39-year-old has limited NFL play-calling experience, but his 2024 Tampa Bay team was a historically efficient offensive unit.

But even if Coen’s coaching tenure in Jacksonville never amounts to sustained postseason success as the fans so desperately long for, he’s already achieved borderline cult hero status among the Duval faithful.

By getting Baalke — who lost a lot of fan support since the Urban Meyer debacle in his first season as GM — fired only to come back and accept the job, Coen has saved the Jaguars — and Khan, specifically — from themselves.

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