Liking The Odds That Liam Coen Doesn’t Get The Jags Job
January 21st, 2025
Bucs OC Liam Coen.
Look, Joe is going to be selfish here. Look at the name of this here website.
Of course Joe hopes Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen stays, even though “this Joe” predicted he would be a head coach somewhere in 2025.
With Ben Johnson taking the Bears job (Godspeed), that left an opening for Coen with the Jags, who are setting up a second interview with him.
If the Jags are smart, they may just hire Coen. And that is where Bucs fans may hold the winning hand. Do you really think Jags owner Shad Khan is going to do the smart thing?
Khan is about as inept of an NFL owner as Joe has seen since Bill Bidwill. Say what you will about Hugh Culverhouse, but Joe actually remembers the Bucs in the 1979 NFC title game with Culverhouse as owner. Bidwill, the late owner of the Cardinals, never saw his team win more than one playoff game in a postseason (1998).
More often than not, the Cardinals under Bidwill were a total joke, moving from town to town but the stench of losing followed Bidwill wherever he put down stakes.
From 1949 through 1997, the Cardinals had zero playoff wins. Talk about lost decades!
After Bidwill handed control of the team to his son Michael, only then did the Cardinals ever win anything.
Khan is just about as bad, including his two games in London each season stunt. Awful.
This is the same guy who hired Urban Meyer to develop Trevor Lawrence. Think about how moronic that was. Meyer was and is an option guy. He had Joe Burrow at Ohio State and actually believed Dwayne Haskins was a better quarterback. Can you imagine?
Then Khan brings in the notorious Trent Baalke to run his team. Not only is Baalke a grossly overrated talent evaluator, but Baalke is reviled throughout the NFL. He’s about as blacklisted as they get. Many coaching candidates, if you believe some suits, refuse to interview with Khan because of Baalke.
And Khan recently said unless someone points out to him why Baalke shouldn’t be the general manager, he’s safe.
And folks really expect the Jags to ace this coaching search?
That’s why Joe has faith Coen will return to the Bucs (unless John Spytek ends up working with Tom Brady in Las Vegas). Joe doesn’t believe Khan has a clue, thus he won’t select Coen.
Unless you believe a broken clock is right twice a day and Khan accidently chooses Coen.
January 21st, 2025 at 4:47 am
There’s a good chance IMO that this is all ‘Much ado about nothing’. Bowles & Coen are close from what I’ve read. Chances are that Coen is using this Jaquars HC interview as ‘practice’ and that Bowles advised him to do that. Never hurts for coordinators to get real-world practice interviewing for one of the only 32 NFL HC jobs in the world.
I still see Liam as our “HC-in-waiting’ (and yes, Todd’s current contract runs through 2026 … IF he opts to stay that long). I also believe that the Bucs will raise Liam’s salary for next year sufficiently to keep him happy and keep him here (a little ‘Thank You’ for a job well-done in 2024?).
BTW, the disparity in what head coaches make is incredible IMO. Example: Andy Reid makes $20 mil per year; Sean Payton makes $18 mil; Mike Tomlin & Jim Harbaugh each make $16 mil, while Sean McVay makes $15 mil. Todd Bowles purportedly makes $3 mil per year to coach the Bucs, which would make him one of the lowest paid HCs in the league. I’m not even sure that I’d take the grief that he takes from this fanbase for that amount of money.
January 21st, 2025 at 5:35 am
Sounds like Bowles is being paid what he’s worth. That may sound harsh, hate to offend the Bowles fans, but if he was fired tomorrow, chances are he wouldn’t get hired as a DC let alone a HC.
January 21st, 2025 at 5:42 am
Defense Rules you have some good points. I heard the same about Coen and Bowles being close. As for Bowles pay, that just may be the lowest in the league and as you said, taking all the crap from the media and the fans. If I am not mistaken, I thought I read that B Johnson could be looking at around $12 to $13 million not sure if that per year or a 3 or 4 year contract If I am Coen I would stay with the Bucs a more stable organization. I mean it may be hard to turn down $8 to $12 million dollars but, I think he can easily rock up to that amount by stay with the Bucs either by improving his OC resume, if Bowles leaves and for the next round of HCs Also stability for his family
January 21st, 2025 at 6:04 am
If Bowles himself is ill-equipped to handle the well earned critical reaction of a NFL team’s fanbase then we can add that to the list of other things he, himself is ill-equipped to do. There is no way to sugarcoat the performance of his defense and the countless times he failed to get his football team ready to play. Should Coen leave then Bowles will likely lay bare in front of the world and that is not something the fans of this team deserve.
January 21st, 2025 at 6:16 am
BTW.Should one think that CTB is underpaid then the best thing that could happen to him is to be released. That way he can actually test the market and find out exactly how much he is worth. Which would be a win-win for all involved.
January 21st, 2025 at 6:16 am
I would be curious, for everyone that wants to fire Todd off the pirate ship and replace him with Liam, what would be an acceptable performance by the team next year?
If he wins the division and loses in the Wild Card round, does he suck and need to be fired? What if that happens three years in a row, do we keep changing coaches?
January 21st, 2025 at 6:48 am
If Liam Coen had this exact same season next year the people calling for Bowles head would be lining up to make excuses for the guy and polish his boots for dessert. This can be seen by people lining up to defend the debacle of a first half and fourth quarter offense we saw in the Wild Card round.
January 21st, 2025 at 7:21 am
wow @defense rules is back…!
i thought he passed away or something…looking forward to solid postings moving forward…
wait i thought bowles made a lot more than 3 mil per year…
more like 5-10 per
January 21st, 2025 at 7:47 am
If Coen leaves at least Todd Blows in 100% fired after next year
If Coen stays Bucs will be an interesting team that will contend for an average Division again but with Todd here the Bucs are going NOWHERE of importance
Either way Bucs fans win
January 21st, 2025 at 7:47 am
*** SCROLL ALERT – BORING PERSONAL ANECDOTE ***
@DURANGO
“Can we PLEASE stop accusing people here in the forum of racism.”
Nobody is ACCUSING anybody of racism. We are simply pointing out the OBVIOUS racism contained in some posts, thankfully a minority of posters here.
If you’re slow on the uptake…connecting DEI, Rooney rules, to Todd is clearly saying he has his job because he’s black! Are you really that damn dumb?
You don’t need to whine to the JJoes Durango. They run the best moderated blog I’ve seen and give us all wide latitude until we break the laws, copyright infringement etc. If they let you closet racists come out why shouldn’t they let us slam the door in your ignorant (I mean this literally not as an insult) faces!
Scroll here!
In 1956 I was a 3rd grader living in the white trash section of the hood right across the street from the black side. They couldn’t even drink from our fountains or use our restrooms. Being a young ignorant white boy I did not grasp the rules and my best friend Narvelle was from across the street just a few doors down. I went to his house and so invited him to mine.
My father’s friends went nucking futs! “How can you let Bobby bring a &^%( into your home.
My father, a 7th grade dropout was also an alcoholic wife beater. That saddled me with issues BUT he taught me one of the GREATEST LESSONS of my life!
He told me go ahead and bring Narvel over and ignore the talk. “We are shanty(poor) Irish and the Lace Curtain (wealthy Irish) have always made fun of us. That’s not how we’re going to roll! Never make fun of, or judge anybody by the color of their skin, religion, or how much money they have.
Seems perhaps obvious now, but sadly we Irish have a history of our own racism! Can you say Boston? So for all his faults my father was breaking against his own people to teach me a VALUABLE lesson!
And so Durango look in the mirror and ask yourself why these “accusations”/observations are emerging from more than just me or GG and several others.
Simply go back into the closet and stop with the OBVIOUS slandering of Bowles because of the color of his skin!!! Rip his strategy all you wish, stretch yourselves paper thin looking for insults, but as for me I’m calling out your racist trash!
January 21st, 2025 at 8:07 am
Some internet sleuthing confirms DR’s post (not a shock, well done as always) and also sheds some further insight on this salary situation:
Todd Bowles salary: $3M/year
Liam Coen salary: $2.5M/year
Highest paid OC is Todd Monken – $3M/year
Does Coen deserve to be the highest paid OC in the NFL? Eh, tough to say but I’d at least pay him equal to Monken based on the state of the current coaching market.
One website states that Kevin Stefanski is the lowest paid coach in the NFL at $3.5M/year (math ain’t mathin’ there based on the above). Another states that without official numbers, Jonathan Gannon/Brian Daboll/Dave Canales are between $1M to $5M (guessing that is dependent on incentives). They list Todd Bowles at 29th with the first number that doesn’t have a range tied to it.
It’s fascinating to see what other names are being paid; Dan Quinn, Zac Taylor & Dan Campbell listed at $4.5M. The stratosphere guys DR references, I think all are up there bc they had the bargaining leverage. Teams had to pay if they wanted Harbaugh and Payton. Reid and Tomlin have been stable, successful caretakers for their franchises. McVay is the young sexy it-coach with a ring to back it up.
So the lesson learned, which should surprise no one bc it’s the same in life as it is in football, is that salary is all about leverage. Coen is starting to tip the balance in his favor, credit to him.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:07 am
Hey DR! Where ya been? Hope all is good!
January 21st, 2025 at 8:12 am
Thanks Joe for sealing the deal with this statement, “Do you really think Jags owner Shad Khan is going to do the smart thing?” Coen’s gone for sure now.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:14 am
Very possible that Coen was already promised the job here if he just waits a year or maybe 2. Would you go to the Jags instead of having the opportunity here in a year? Obvious decision if this is correct. Patient owners here, franchise qb here, stud rb here, awesome offensive line here, great gm here, great weather here, no income tax here. Have I missed anything?
January 21st, 2025 at 8:33 am
Let him go, the game plan vs the Commanders was terrible….Blah blah defense yeah we’ve heard, the offense was pretty flat in quite a few important games down the stretch. We will be ok with someone else.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:34 am
Or, as you point out, Baalke does the wrong thing as he is prone to do and hires Coen. At this point, Coen is just a 1 hit wonderboy statwise. He has floated a few turds this yr (see Dallas game and wildcard weekend). He is no proven anything more than he’s had a good season as an OC with a pretty solid set of players and a GM who had drafted him an oline in waiting. Jags need more than than an OC, they need a strong and proven HC to counter their floundering front office
January 21st, 2025 at 8:53 am
Imo Coen needs to prove he can manage situations. He’s been kinda mediocre at the situational playcalling this year.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:07 am
He didn’t ask Coen back for a second interview by accident. No dice Joe. You are grasping at straws. Glazers better make a move, and fast.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:09 am
I am really concerned about the intellectual quality of our fan base in Tampa. Memories are short. TBowles defense was never given the credit that it deserved for shutting down Kansas City in the Super Bowl. Does anybody really believe thai 11 defensive players lining up against Washington was a Super Bowl roster. No way. As for Coen, his performance was above average but not deserving of all the love he has received. Run it back a second or third time and maybe he will be ready. Two first-year coaches made the playoffs this year and both had extensive head coaching experience. In fact, both made the Super Bowl as head coaches and both lost.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:13 am
@Leighroy
“Some internet sleuthing confirms DR’s post (not a shock, well done as always) and also sheds some further insight on this salary situation:”
Not only agree with your observations about DR, I commend you on following his lead! That was some EXCELLENT internet sleuthing!
January 21st, 2025 at 9:18 am
“Can we PLEASE stop accusing people here in the forum of racism.”
Nobody is ACCUSING anybody of racism. We are simply pointing out the OBVIOUS racism contained in some posts, thankfully a minority of posters here.
————–
You arent pointing out anything other than your feelings are hurt that not everyone is enjoying your man crush. Nice try though to cover up with this crappy excuse.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:20 am
“Drunk Bucs Fan Says:
I would be curious, for everyone that wants to fire Todd off the pirate ship and replace him with Liam, what would be an acceptable performance by the team next year?
If he wins the division and loses in the Wild Card round, does he suck and need to be fired? What if that happens three years in a row, do we keep changing coaches?”
After 1 season?
You must be inebriated 😉
January 21st, 2025 at 9:27 am
If I’d thought running up behind Culverhouse and yelling “BOO!”… well…I would have
January 21st, 2025 at 9:28 am
People just say dumb ish here and I really hope you aren’t a critic of Bowles too. Dude scored almost 30 points a game apparently it’s easy to replace. He goes so does his staff. An entire new one comes in with new system and it’s an assumption Bucs will pick up where they left off.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:37 am
adam from NY … ‘i thought he passed away or something’.
Hey Adam, I’m surprised JBFers didn’t already have a pool going on that one. Oh and BTW, I found several articles that quoted the $3 mil TB salary figure, but that sounds ridiculously low for any HC. He made that much as a DC PRIOR to be dual-hatted as the HC/DC.
As an aside, looking at Spotrac’s final 2024 season numbers for each team, Bucs had the LOWEST Total CAP Allocation ($216.9 mil) of any NFL team, by far. We had the 9th lowest Active 53-Man Roster CAP number ($139.3 mil), which is very interesting to me because NONE of the 8 teams above us (less expensive rosters) made the playoffs or even had winning seasons.
But what really struck me as being bizarre is that we apparently ended 2024 with $36.0 mil worth of CAP space, ranking us 4th-best in the NFL. And for 2025 we’ve got the 5th-most players under contract (59 … about 20-25 of whom I don’t think saw the 2024 active roster) and still have $24 mil of CAP space for 2025 with lots of options to create considerably more.
January 21st, 2025 at 9:42 am
Todd Bowles and Liam Coen both deserve a pay increase. 3M and 2.5M a year that is ridiculously low pay !
Go Bucs 2025 !!
January 21st, 2025 at 9:56 am
Todd Blows is compensated accurately for a coach who’s never shown he deserves to be a Head Coach. he got the job here for being the only competent coordinator on staff. That’s Arians fault.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:01 am
We have $25 million in cap space? I read we only have $11.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:40 am
Couch
I posted FACTS! You post your OPINION! If YOU can’t deal with it either grow up or scroll!
See I’ve already gone against Mark Twain’s famous warning. That’s enough.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:40 am
Wow, DR and Leighroy, some big pay amounts. Thank you for that info. Todd definitely deserves more money. If Coen stays, he needs a bump too.
January 21st, 2025 at 11:01 am
stpetebucsfan Says:
January 21st, 2025 at 7:47 am
*** SCROLL ALERT – BORING PERSONAL ANECDOTE ***
@DURANGO
——
No wonder people think you’re an idiot.
Just kidding.
Maybe. 🙂
January 21st, 2025 at 11:12 am
Good to see you DR.
I heard Canales got 6M, btw.
I believe our team is one of the best in the NFL. Our losses weren’t blowouts. I don’t think Coen could have it much better than he has now, and I believe he is not quite ready to be a HC. I was wrong about Canales tho, so who knows?
January 21st, 2025 at 11:58 am
My biggest critique of Todd Bowles the DC is that he doesn’t appear to adjust his scheme based on talent he has in the building.
Maybe this draft can bring the talent he needs to the defense for his scheme and that remains to be seen.
He makes a few blunders as HC but his performance as DC is what I find most lacking. Do I want Bowles gone? To be truthful, no – but I do want to see some changes on the defensive side of the ball.
PS: Nice to see you back, DR.
January 21st, 2025 at 1:20 pm
I posted FACTS! You post your OPINION! If YOU can’t deal with it either grow up or scroll!
——
And I posted facts. Deal with it or grow up.
January 21st, 2025 at 1:43 pm
OK boys I’m your huckleberry lets go for some more, I’m bored today. LOL
Durango
“No wonder people think you’re an idiot.
Just kidding.
Maybe. 🙂”
At last we can agree! I’m sure there are people here who think I’m an idiot.
But I believe in the old saying you can judge a man by his enemies.
Now enemies is way over the top we’re just having some fun here, but you get my drift. Most of the guys who REALLY dislike me are people I do not respect anyway. I’m not everybody’s cup of tea and that’s for sure! After broadcasting you develop a thick hide.
@Couchfan
Perhaps you have reading comprehension skills or simply do not know the difference between fact and opinion.
Bringing up DEI and Rooney rules are clearly racist tropes. BOWLes sucks in part because of the color of his skin and a job that was GIFTED HIM.
Is that not a fact in YOUR opinion?
Then I gave warning for boredom prevention for the many who do not enjoy personal anecdotes which again was absolutely factual. You weren’t there so you have NO idea. You can certainly say it bored you but it WAS factual!
You OTOH posted NO facts.
“You arent pointing out anything other than your feelings are hurt that not everyone is enjoying your man crush. Nice try though to cover up with this crappy excuse.”
“hurt feelings”, “mancrush” are OPINIONS not facts. Crappy excuse?
I need an excuse to point out that DEI and Rooney rule have been hurled at Todd? That any sentient human understands that’s not a dog whistle it’s out and out stating Todd has his job and keeps it because of the color of his skin!
Now if you think that’s not the case then tell me FACTUALLY why anybody bothers to mention them? What are they talking about? Perhaps you can enlighten me?
January 21st, 2025 at 1:43 pm
^^mtm^^,
Well, I did get some fine Lugos rum for Christmas this year. 🤪
I know my example was a bit ridiculous, but if the scenario happened it would be quite interesting to read the comments a year from now.
If everyone thinks about it, IF Coen stays everyone gets what they want next year. Todd can’t survive losing the division and would damn well need to at least get to a Superbowl to save his job. Also, the defense has to improve or he is gone. So either Todd gets a ring or Coen is HC in 2026.
Now if Jacksonville hires Coen in a few days, I’m going back to the rum
January 21st, 2025 at 2:09 pm
D-Rok … ‘He makes a few blunders as HC but his performance as DC is what I find most lacking. Do I want Bowles gone? To be truthful, no – but I do want to see some changes on the defensive side of the ball.’
Agree with you 100%. Personally I don’t think that the personnel (overall) fit his 3-4 scheme, especially after multiple starters started going down. So Todd kept making major compromises IMO to compensate and nothing really clicked (especially when it came to blitzing, OLB use & zone defense it appears). Very frustrating for anyone who loves good defense.
January 21st, 2025 at 3:21 pm
good to see you back @ Defense Rules…hope all is well
you’re informative and detailed posts are always a pleasure to see on here brother
on another note…this could be out of left field…not sure where my head is getting this from, but i was always under the impression that bowles made like 3 mil as DC…then when he became HC he was bumped up to like 5 mil…then i swear at some point i thought he signed to a little extension of some sort, and maybe was getting 5 mil or got bumped to like 8 mil
not sure why i’m thinking this to be the case…i think i heard it maybe from tampa media heads, during those time periods, on talk radio or something…i have never seen anything concrete about his salary…but if i had to assume, i’d have thought it to be 5 mil or 8 mil
i’m not really sure why i even think that…lol…but if he’s still jammed up at 3 mil, wearing dual hats, he’s being paid inordinately low imho
i also don’t particularly want bowles outta here…i just want coen to stay and to keep the continuity flowing on offense, while adding in the necessary patchwork on defense
our D is like a patchwork quilt…and it’s missing a few squares right now…it def needs some pieces sewn in
keep bowles and coen somehow…fix the defense…and maybe make a real run in 2025-26
on any given sunday we can beat washington, philly and detroit
we’re almost right there…with a little bit of patchwork
January 21st, 2025 at 3:26 pm
“Couch Fan Says:
I posted FACTS! You post your OPINION! If YOU can’t deal with it either grow up or scroll!
——
And I posted facts. Deal with it or grow up.”
‘Just the facts ma’am, just the facts’ – Sgt. Joe Friday, Dragnet
January 21st, 2025 at 3:34 pm
“Drunk Bucs Fan Says
Well, I did get some fine Lugos”
Lugos, nice!
Seriously tho, have to agree with you.
This Coen thing is a bummer.
Yes, it’s only been 1 season, but letting him go after arguably the best year offensively (sans one of Brady’s) in team history would be a big mistake.
Also, after hearing this from unknown suit reported by Joe:
“His knowledge of the game, both offensively and defensively, was eye-opening, as well as his handles on the responsibilities and how he would lead a franchise. …”
Makes you wonder how the Glazers could let him walk or even afford to let him walk when the window is closing for guys like ME
January 21st, 2025 at 4:43 pm
Coen takes the Jags job, and he is the dumbest bozo around. DR, thumps up reading you. I have written it, and will stand by it: His first half calls in the DC Cs’ game helped lose it for the Bucs! All the predicted running plays. Can I fall asleep, and I’m listening on Bucs Radio??!! I know we’re going into the off-season, but still…..!
January 21st, 2025 at 4:44 pm
**thumbs up
January 21st, 2025 at 5:43 pm
stpetebucsfan Says:
January 21st, 2025 at 1:43 pm
OK boys I’m your huckleberry lets go for some more, I’m bored today. LOL
Durango
———
I don’t read your posts, brother. You seem intent on getting my attention. Seriously, I have no interest in anything you have to say.