Liam Coen Lands On Major Head Coach Candidate List
November 14th, 2024
‘Tis the season.
So one Joe at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters is rather confident that first-year Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen will land a head coaching job next season — in the NFL or in college. The Joe typing here isn’t so sure.
Coen, 39, likely wants to stay in the NFL and reach its coaching pinnacle quickly, based on his public comments and the track he’s been on. And jumping to college isn’t the route to get there that it used to be.
So could Coen pull an NFL job next season?
TheAthletic.com, the New York Times subsidiary, had long-time NFL writer Jeff Howe publish an extensive look at potential NFL head coaching candidates for the January 2025 hiring cycle.
Byron Leftwich didn’t make the list, but Coen did.
Liam Coen
Quarterback Baker Mayfield is playing the best football of his career for the first-year Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator. They hit it off so well together with the Rams in 2022 that Mayfield personally helped recruit Coen to the Bucs last offseason, which speaks to the OC’s ability to connect with his players.
Coen, 39, bounced around the New England college coaching circuit before [Sean] McVay hired him in 2018. He had two one-year stints as Kentucky’s offensive coordinator (2021, 2023) that bookended his season as McVay’s OC. Now a full-time play caller for the first time in the NFL, Coen has impressed those around the league with his creativity and feel for the game while designing plays with a purpose. Tampa’s offense is fifth in the NFL right now, putting up 27 points per game.
Coen is inexperienced on the interview circuit, so he might be at least a year away from a head coaching offer. But he should garner interview requests, particularly after Dave Canales turned his one season with the Bucs into the Carolina Panthers’ top job — and the Bucs offense has been better in 2024.
Bucs fans don’t want Coen to leave, but the good news is there’s a ton of quality competition for the NFL gigs.
Howe noted seven retread coaches like Bill Belicheat likely to get long sniffs. Plus, he detailed 11 potential newcomers, many with excellent resumes, like those of playcallers Todd Monken, Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik of the Ravens, Lions and Texans, respectively.
Also, Deion Sanders is floating out there as a potential NFL head coach along with experienced defense-first names like Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and Chargers defensive guru Jesse Minter.
Joe wonders how Dave Canales’ eventual performance with the Panthers — good or bad — might influence NFL owners when it comes to hiring Coen and other young and inexperienced coordinators.
Canales left the Bucs for Carolina’s top job after only one year as an NFL playcaller.
The Panthers (3-7) are on a two-game winning streak but have a brutal schedule ahead. If Carolina’s progress hits a hard wall, and Shane Steichen’s Colts keep tanking, that could lead some owners to lean away from the young and green newcomers like Coen.
Of course, some Bucs fans want Coen to be Tampa Bay’s head coach next season, which is an entirely different conversation.
November 14th, 2024 at 2:14 pm
Jason will not let him go somewhere else. Maybe a Lovie retirement announcement will be coming shortly.
November 14th, 2024 at 2:17 pm
Use Bucky and Tucker more and be more agressive on 4th down.
November 14th, 2024 at 2:21 pm
The bucs can do so much better without Bowels…
bucs should keep Coen with this offense and bring in a much more current, relevant and qualified DC!
November 14th, 2024 at 2:29 pm
It would be such a Buc thing to do to hold onto Toad Bowels and his bottom ranked defense, just to let this guy walk.
November 14th, 2024 at 2:30 pm
Are many teams looking for a 4-6 coordinator with no head coaching experience?
I would think Dave Canales killed those prospects.
November 14th, 2024 at 2:31 pm
They’ll let him interview and see how he does. If they let him go that might mean they’ve been talking to someone. Belicheat?
November 14th, 2024 at 2:39 pm
Agreed Stormy
November 14th, 2024 at 2:40 pm
Bi polar fan base, today they cheer for you tomorrow they burn you….No loyalty whatsoever…..
November 14th, 2024 at 2:42 pm
“The Panthers (3-7) are on a two-game winning streak but have a brutal schedule ahead.”
Cant be to brutal… They play us twice
November 14th, 2024 at 2:45 pm
Yeah leave Bowles alone. If we had Dennis and Hall and any of our “pros” on the field at the same time instead of 2 3 and practice squad guys this season would be way different. If you went to work with a giant excavator and it broke down and theyvthrew you a shovel and said keep going til it’s done. You’d be like nope
November 14th, 2024 at 2:54 pm
Im hoping Coen takes the same approach as the lions OC. Stick around and perfect one “craft” before adding new responsibilities. 🤞🏼
November 14th, 2024 at 2:56 pm
Sorry Bowles it’s time to retire or fired. We can’t lose Coen.
November 14th, 2024 at 2:57 pm
Just the idea of going into next season with Bowles as HC and Coen gone somewhere else makes me ill. Glazer family should remember what it’s like dealing with an unmotivated fanbase, again.
November 14th, 2024 at 3:28 pm
After watching the Lions play, a Dan Campbell clone should be the next Bucs HC.
I wonder if he has a brother?
November 14th, 2024 at 3:36 pm
Dirk/Lovie part 2. We”ll need a new DC next year which will most likely lead to LVD54 retiring.
November 14th, 2024 at 3:39 pm
zzbucs: I wouldn’t necessarily drop Bowles as HC, but as a DC he’s just not getting it done.
November 14th, 2024 at 3:45 pm
Just promote him to HC at the end of the season.
November 14th, 2024 at 3:46 pm
Very dumb to let him get out of the building.
This is a very obvious decision.
November 14th, 2024 at 3:57 pm
There is no way Todd leaves unless he is fired. Dude is barely working, neither are his D coaches. All grabbing that paycheck and clearly no accountability from the top. Only dudes working on offense like Coen and the Oline coaches. Not surprisingly all new to the team and trying to make a name for themselves.
Keep the hungry, trash the mediocre. That should be everyone from Jason down.
We can win 11+ easily with our talent on offense both player and coaches
November 14th, 2024 at 4:00 pm
Amazing some people don’t see why he will get a HC job…… HE HAS A TOP RANK OFFENSE (the part of the ball he has anything to do with) all without any top receiving talent on the field. Smh any other questions?
November 14th, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Offense rules and Coen is getting it done. No reason to think he won’t get a head coaching job. We’d all prefer he stay as our OC or even better HC but that is just wishful thinking.
November 14th, 2024 at 4:12 pm
+1 Mike C. These must be the same people with total confidence in Bowles in the weekly flash polls too.
If you maximize your available talent (check), show development in your quarterback (check), and demonstrate creativity/innovation in your play calling (check), typically that at least gets you an interview.
The list of other names is a bit too prestigious ahead of Cohen at the moment though. Todd Monken will be a great hire for an offensive-needing team.
November 14th, 2024 at 4:18 pm
Knowing are luck he will leave and we will be stuck with no OC and Bowles who can’t coach him self out of a paper bag if he tried.
November 14th, 2024 at 4:40 pm
I do not see the Bucs letting him walk.
At the same time, I’m not eager to see him as head coach. When you take someone who is good at one thing, and then tell them to do something else, you almost always see a downgrade in them doing the thing they were good at.
If Coen did get the job, however, he should really consider switching to a 4-3 defense, as the personnel matches that better – and frankly a 4-3 should be cheaper (4-3 LBs make a lot less money – and some of the Bucs stand-up edge guys I think would be much better fits as 4-3 DEs).
November 14th, 2024 at 4:42 pm
Something to note when making the Canales comparison:
1. Last season’s Bucs team ended up 9-8 and a first-round playoff win.
2. The Panthers fresh new GM has ties to Canales from working with him in Seattle.
3. And this is my fringe thinking. Canales is honest, handsome and has incredible charisma. I get that might seem dumb and corny, but I could see how a rich Team owner would be attracted to that kind of person. Tie in that your GM suggested him and point to the turnaround he had with Baker, hoping he could duplicate his success with the terrible investment that was made the year before with Bryce Young.
I don’t see Coen fitting this profile for a first-year NFL play caller being dragged away from Tampa to take on another franchise. He’s a smart guy and hands-down a better play caller than Canales, but he lacks all the other variables that I think appeals GMs and/or owners want to invest their franchise in. Not the best example, but Eric Bieniemy. Has a fantastic resume, yes, with one of the greatest QB talents to ever play. but this guy couldn’t get a head coaching gig by now? See reason 3 why I think that is the case.
If Coen is truly worth his salt as a play-caller, putting another year under his belt with the same personnel should boost his stock even more. I am confident there is a path without anointing him to HC that he will be here next season in Tampa.
November 14th, 2024 at 5:23 pm
Mike Edwards back in Tampa off of waivers.
November 14th, 2024 at 5:31 pm
Maybe they can just give Coen a big pay raise
November 14th, 2024 at 5:42 pm
coen ain’t even close to ready to be a HC…
but he’s doing a very nice job with the offense under these circumstances…
(but seriously…how funny would it be for tepper to fire davey cantalopes after the season…and then bring in his next punching bag to be, liam coen…hopefully not…but in this crazy world, you never know) 🙂
November 14th, 2024 at 6:27 pm
Coen is the next head coach of the Bucs. Todd is gone at the end of the season.
November 14th, 2024 at 6:40 pm
Adam from NY “Coen ain’t even close to ready to be a HC” how stupid and obvious can a person be?
November 14th, 2024 at 6:41 pm
Oblivious *
November 14th, 2024 at 7:26 pm
Is it just me or does it seem like Arians is putting his touch on the offensive playbooks for the past 2 years? Just curious if anyone else has thought that.
November 14th, 2024 at 7:34 pm
richardtyson Says:
November 14th, 2024 at 7:26 pm
No one else thinks that because it makes no sense. This offense is diverse, uses motion, and bears no resemblance to Arians’ downfield style. And the running game is more varied and actually effective.
November 14th, 2024 at 8:26 pm
GET RID OF BOWLES ! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ! MAKE COHEN THE HEAD COACH BEFOR WE LOSE ANOTHER ONE YEAR OFFENCE COACH ..HIRE A GOOD DEFENCE COACH .BOWLES TIME IS DONE !!
November 14th, 2024 at 9:12 pm
Let Bowles go and make Coen interim HC
November 14th, 2024 at 9:48 pm
I think the new HC will want his own OC. Let him go.
November 14th, 2024 at 9:49 pm
Interim and promoted head coaches rarely have success.
November 14th, 2024 at 10:17 pm
If I am not mistaken Tepper gave Canales eight years guaranteed. Stupid $ of course he couldn’t refuse. If that was close and on the table for Coen of course he would jump at that. He has not proven †hat he is ready at all for a HC
November 14th, 2024 at 11:29 pm
coen ain’t ready…but he’s steady like eddie 🙂
November 15th, 2024 at 12:28 am
Coen is a good coach. Bowles is a bad coach. Bucs will lose Coen and keep Bowles.
November 15th, 2024 at 12:32 am
Keep Coen as OC and give him a raise!!!
Perhaps Bill Belichick as head coach next year??
Fix that defense…
Thoughts???
November 15th, 2024 at 2:08 am
Keep Coen as OC. Koetter showed that not every good OC should automatically be promoted to HC. I think Coen will be a HC some day, just not now. A HC needs to fix what’s broken and that’s defense not offense. You need a defensive HC to fix the defense and pair him with Coen. My top 3 picks are Robert Saleh, Chris Shula, or Jesse Minter.
November 15th, 2024 at 6:51 am
By any means necessary, he must not be allowed to leave. If that means letting Bowles go and making him the guy, so be it. Plenty of good DCs out there that can come in and fix it. And I’m not a Bowles hater by any means.
November 15th, 2024 at 10:26 am
Hopefully he learned game management and situational coaching techniques from McVay and not Todd Blows
November 16th, 2024 at 8:30 am
The only way to keep him is to fire Bowles and make Coen head coach.
November 16th, 2024 at 8:32 am
When will Canales get fired?
November 16th, 2024 at 1:55 pm
Losing Canales to the panthers was the best thing that happened to the Bucs after last season. Yeah signing Mike and Baker and all the other FA’s was great but bad coaching can tank teams as Canales and Bowles are showing us all this season. Coen is a great OC and hopefully he sees that jumping ship to be the head coach of a poor team can also be a career killer.