Blow-By-Blow Account Of What Happened Between Liam Coen, The Bucs And Coen’s Decision To Jump To Jags
January 24th, 2025
The full story (allegedly).
Really, really, really solid reporting here on the behind-the-scenes moves, dodges and broken pledges between former Bucs offensive coordinator/new Jags coach Liam Coen and the Bucs.
And, Joe is convinced from Bucs fans’ perspective, it represents an attempted shakedown of Team Glazer by Coen.
Albert Breer of SI.com has a play-by-play account of how the Bucs and Coen worked inside the walls of One Buc Palace to try to make Coen happy, to no avail.
In short, Todd Bowles and Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht, knowing Coen was going to interview with the Jags, got a figure from Coen what it would take for him to stay with the Bucs.
How certain did the Bucs think they had a deal? Coen was texting players and fellow staffers how he was staying and how he looked forward to getting back on the practice fields preparing for the 2025 season.
Team Glazer met his initial demands and still it wasn’t good enough for Coen, who then dragged his feet and bolted to Jacksonville when the Bucs met yesterday afternoon with Coen’s contract on the table ready for him to sign.
Problem was, Coen blew off the meeting.
Bucs brass was left at the altar while Coen was instead at the Jags’ headquarters.
On Wednesday afternoon, with Coen expected to be at 1 Buccaneer Place to sign his deal, efforts by team brass to get ahold of Coen failed. Around 5 p.m., Coen called back to ask Licht if it was O.K. if he came in Thursday morning to sign the contract—rather than doing it that night—and Licht told him that was fine.
Thursday morning came and went and Bucs officials (not just one but multiple suits) could not reach Coen, including assistant general manager Mike Greenberg who had to talk to Coen about a contract for an offensive assistant who also was about to sign a Bucs contract.
Coen’s agent instead called the Bucs late Thursday morning to say Coen was unable to get to One Buc Palace as he was tending to a personal matter.
(Is this where Coen’s child comes into play?)
The Jags, Breer types, were equally adamant that Coen not divulge to the Bucs he was in Jacksonville.
So Jags chieftain Shad Con Khan doesn’t look like a prince in all this drama, either. Khan apparently was scared the NFL would hammer him over the Rooney Rule.
All in all, Breer’s details of this drama are almost breathtaking.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:49 am
he is a lying piece of s**t. our offense will still hum without him and he will be fired in 2-3 years.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:50 am
This report makes Coen and Shad look horrible and you know what they deserve each other.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:50 am
Seems like it violates the Rooney rule. Shouldn’t that result in loss of draft capital?
January 24th, 2025 at 11:52 am
This whole thing is just so bizarre.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:52 am
I’m wondering if it’s unprecedented that two consecutive first-year OC’s with no prior experience were hired for head coaching jobs one year after their initial experience.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Scumbag.
I sincerely hope he fails.
And that the Jags relocate permanently to London out of that dump in Duval county (aka south Georgia).
January 24th, 2025 at 11:53 am
Any player reactions yet? I saw Mike drop a nice post that doesnt mention Coen but seems to be timely in its messaging.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:55 am
While so many are quick to credit Canales and Coen for Baker Mayfield’s success, maybe it’s time to credit BAKER MAYFIELD for his success. He played great under two first time NFL players callers in two separate systems. How about Bakers intellegence in mastering these systems so quickly, his arm talent, his abilty to read a defense and change the call at the line of scrimmage, his escape ability in the pocket, extending drives with his running ability, his leadership, his toughness…. I really don’t care who the next OC is. Mayfield will succeed whoever that is as he has already proven the past two seasons.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:56 am
Yeah… a low character
Move On . Bucs
He will live with this for the rest of his career
That said it will probably not have any impact on the rest of his career .
It’s all about W&L’s now.
Chances are the Jaguars will be a better team going forward.
Eyes forward Bucs fans!
January 24th, 2025 at 11:58 am
SNAKE.
2025 sucks so far.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:58 am
It was definitely far from professional BUT what’s done is done…
old saying: no since in crying over spilled milk…
just a large portion of fan base crying over the “coach” that the Bucs are STUCK with!
January 24th, 2025 at 11:58 am
As much as I am a Bowels detractor, I am glad the Glazers did not dismiss him to make the HC position available to Coen. Don’t get me wrong, I hate that Bowles is still the HC. But since the Glazers are willing to tolerate him, selling out to keep Coen would have been the wrong thing to do.
January 24th, 2025 at 11:58 am
Raging Brisket
The Jags did comply with the Rooney Rule, interviewed and checked that box . I forget the name
Perhaps Kahn didn’t remember how it works. –Joe
January 24th, 2025 at 12:01 pm
I mean I would have 2 wait 4 ink 2 be dried till the f** lady sings but this is beyond diabolical. I’m hoping that we pull a coach from the college ranks. Idk of any candidates at either level but the game is changing n we need 2 adjust. I kno baker isnt a rushing QB but he can be decent. Bowles playing our guys 8 yards off the line doesn’t give me much hope this upcoming season but I’m praying that Bucky can adjust.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:03 pm
Incredible. This man is bad news.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:04 pm
If he had just been forthright I wouldn’t care, but after learning how scandalous this all was, I hope he fails miserably.
F U Coen
January 24th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
The biggest question I have is why did he make up an elaborate story? He wasn’t binded to the bucs, regardless of right or wrong he was still able to talk to the Jags. Why ghost? Why (allegedly) make up a story about your kid? It just doesn’t make sense, other than just being completely shady.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:05 pm
His offensive philosophy worked ok, I wouldn’t say brilliantly but it worked. But mostly because of the players and they will still perform no matter who the coordinator is.
The thing I find interesting is the personality of Coen. He just doesn’t seem to have that head coach persona from what I have seen. Time will tell but I predict in 3 years he’s back as an offensive coordinator somewhere.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
Nice job Liam. Hope you’re prepared for God’s wrath.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Didn’t Lyin’ Coem use the sick child at home line a month ago when talking about head coach gigs?
January 24th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
No integrity. I mean I dont blame Coen. Its probably the correct move. But damn dude LOL, just man up and tell the truth. Great leaders arent phonies like this dude. What a user. If I was a Jags player I would be weary of fully trusting that man
January 24th, 2025 at 12:10 pm
Yes Coen had no class . I thought he was a better man. But no. And glazer boys could have offered him the h.c. Job after bowles left but they never did . This is in them to !! There father was the football guy they would rather stick with a Mediocre coach than to forge ahead ! Don’t let them off the hook .
January 24th, 2025 at 12:12 pm
The Jaguars DID COMPLY with the Rooney Rule
I saw it on YouTube last night discussing the situation
Maybe Daniel or McDaniel a black coach with a Ivy League coaching background as well as some NFL
January 24th, 2025 at 12:13 pm
Wow,
This whole thing smells. I’m glad he’s gone. I only hope the franchise finds a great replacement and wins next season.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:14 pm
I just read that Coen spoke to Bowles yesterday and told him what was going on.
What is the truth? All these keyboard jockeys that probably weight 3 bills and have orange fingers from all the Cheetos they eat.
SMDH.
Stay classy Tampa
January 24th, 2025 at 12:17 pm
weasels do what weasels do
I would say you can’t behave this way and have success, but Parcells and Belichick did similar with NY iirc.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Jaguars Rooney Rule box check was the interview with
Patrick Graham
January 24th, 2025 at 12:18 pm
Coen played the Bucs dirty along with his agent. Sounds like the Glazers and Licht were going above and beyond for him and he ignored them as well as lied. Not good optics for Coen and may be the reason why he has been on six or seven teams.
Oldtimer – Agreed. Baker developed on his own. It had nothing to do with Canales and Coen.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:21 pm
Maybe the McVay tree is hollow inside.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Good riddance Yankee doodle.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
The NFL is a community of players, managers, and agents. Coen’s talents got him to Jacksonville. But Coen’s agent and Coen himself took a path on how they got to Jacksonville that is going to be on the radar of players (particularly pending free agents), other agents, and other GMs and coaches.
It will unquestionably affect the organization’s ability to be successful in it’s actions across the league. Made even more complicated by the extremely long history of a program that has a dysfunctional culture.
Long way of saying, that Coen (a coach who has jumped from one place to another each year for the past 3-4 years) and Jacksonville deserve each other. May they carry on the glorious legacy of mismangement and failure that Jax is so commonly known for.
I’m sad for the Bucs and us fans. Coen had the chance to build on something great while also learning what a (NOW) quality, well-structured, and respected organization looks like.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Well, the common denominator in Baker’s success the last two seasons with a decent contract and a good front office is…. Baker. Yes, he had more success this past season with the OC. But he did pretty well the year before too. I guess we’ll see this year if the OC is as impactful as we think.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Good riddance. Character is a big deal in my opinion. Cohen will bomb in Jacksonville due to the traits he displayed doing this deal. The inmates cannot run the asylum. If he lied to the Bucs then he’ll lie to his players (which he did). If the players do not trust the coach they’ll never play hard enough to win. You have to play within every inch of your life at this level if you want to win. That means leadership is paramount.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:24 pm
We still have a really good team.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:25 pm
The responses here are so bitter and cruel. You would have all done the same. Chill the f out and be happy he turned our offense around and has moved on to a better life opportunity.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:26 pm
Not a leader of men.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
Steven007
AGREE completely! I would add a HUGE part of his continued success with the Bucs O was Bucky!!! The continued development of Otton, Culp, JMac and most of all the OL!
No matter who coached or even who QB’s, the Bucs had better talent last year on Offense than the year before by a wide margin.
When coaching trumps talent then I’ll start gripping over whose the next OC.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:27 pm
And the biggest attraction to going to Jacksonville is that it will include annual trips to London were they also play home games which was probably a big perk for Slimy, Limey, Liamy…..
Hopefully, Bowels has played enough against Coen’s offense this season in practice where he has some idea how to neutralize it.
Cheerio, old chaps….
January 24th, 2025 at 12:32 pm
the defenders in here obviously have no care for integrity or truth. Im sure respectable people who care about their fellow man do not want anything to do with Coen anymore. The Jaguars are a poorly run franchise and this is another drop in that bucket….
January 24th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
He will last one year in that dumpster fire
January 24th, 2025 at 12:34 pm
Multiple million dollar business. Its ugly. These types of things happen. Jags must of made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and he was embarrassed that he had already verbally agreed with the Bucs so he just decided to sign and not say anything. Kind of cowardly but it happens all the time. I’m not mad at the guy because he did it in a way I dont like. Lol
Time for Super Todd to prove all his fan boys correct and get us a new terrific OC and lead us to the Championship next season. No excuses.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:35 pm
I, personally, wouldn’t have (allegedly) been a sketchy, shady, POS. Where has good character and respect gone? Again, no one is upset by him taking the job, but how he did it was wrong, in any industry, at any job level.
January 24th, 2025 at 12:40 pm
Yea he a lying snake who acted like a greedy sissy.
Got Franchise beef in Florida lol
Swindler should keep his paws off our Offensive Coaches
Wanna sneak around then don’t come asking for anything
He can have JTS
January 24th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
and Jamel Dean PLEASE
January 24th, 2025 at 12:48 pm
A little off topic but remember many moons ago when the 49ers had a bad breakup with Jim Harbaugh? Everyone said Harbaugh was hard to work with. Well, it looks like it was Baalke’s fault all along. No one wants to work with him and he just damaged our team without even working for us.
January 24th, 2025 at 1:02 pm
Wow good reporting Joe. Liam Coen has no integrity. He is still a young coach. This will follow him. There was no reason for all of this. It did not have to be like this at all, the Glazers, Jason Licht, Todd Bowles these are good people. The Bucs were willing to pay Coen anything he wanted, and he did them so wrong. It really is disgusting and disappointing and Coen will get no respect.
January 24th, 2025 at 1:13 pm
Well, after all, this, I doubt Greenberg would go and be his GM now
January 24th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
As a QSR manager for over 30 years, I have never been upset with an employee leaving for a better paying job if they were above the board and truthful about their intentions. I HAVE been upset by the ones who dealt behind my back and left without having the balls to say I found something better. Ethics. It doesn’t matter who you work for, whether it’s the NFL or Wendy’s. People’s reaction to Coen’s handling of this mess is justifiable.
January 24th, 2025 at 1:30 pm
In Life, a man is only as good as his word!
January 24th, 2025 at 1:37 pm
That’s very good reporting by Albert Breer. The Glazers had the expectation that Liam Coen would not take the second interview, but the dynamic radically changed when Trent Baalke, the Jags’ GM, and the Jags “parted ways” by the middle of the week. The situation got away from Coen, but he ultimately did what he thought was best for him and his family. This is a case of the dysfunction and lack of professionalism within the Jags’ organization impacting the Bucs. The price for the Jags in terms of their already tattered reputation was not worth it, even according to Jags fans. They are wondering why a “hot” coordinator had only one team chasing him, whereas Ben Johnson had multiple teams wanting to interview him. The NFL might take a hard look at this. Would there be a chance that the Bucs receive some compensation? The search for the next OC begins… The Jags also need a GM, and I sure hope that the owner of the Jags doesn’t poach our organization (e.g., Mike Greenburg) any more than he already has.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:10 pm
He basically did the same thing when he left KY to coach with the Rams, then went back to KY then dipped on them again to come to Tampa. Seems like it’s par for the course with this guy. If you’re a Jags player watching this, how can you really look at him as a long term coach when you know he’s going to dip as soon as a bigger check gets tossed at him?
January 24th, 2025 at 2:14 pm
Ashley Coen
@ashleyfordcoen
I hate that I even have to say this, but when people are negative about my kids, I will not be silent. Our son is sick, we were at the hospital yesterday seeing a specialist for his autoimmune disease. Please don’t spread misinformation and assume because you heard one side.
January 24th, 2025 at 2:53 pm
“If you’re a Jags player watching this, how can you really look at him as a long term coach when you know he’s going to dip as soon as a bigger check gets tossed at him?”
From my understanding, unlike the OC positions that can jump ship for another position if it is a promotion, head coaches can’t leave without the team agreeing. He’s essentially reached the top of his field. I don’t think that it’s a worry.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:05 pm
The circumstances changed immediately after they fired Baalke.
They tripled his salary.
He told Todd what was happening.
What is the problem?
Sour grapes? You mad we are stuck with Todd?
January 24th, 2025 at 3:43 pm
Why did the Bucs announce anything if Coen hadn’t signed a deal.
Plus, again, who cares if he signed a deal? It means nothing and would be torn up the second the Jags gave him the HC job.
Assuming this is correct, and it sounds legit compared to the nonsense going around yesterday, what happened is clear. Once the Bucs ran to the media to announce Coen was coming back, even without a contract or anything signed, the Jags fired their GM and told Coen the job is his – and probably upped the money and/or term as well.
There is literally no one whining about this that wouldn’t have done the same thing. It’s tens of millions of dollars at play – and you’re talking about a few hours of time, not weeks, not even days, but hours.
Come on people, get a grip.
January 24th, 2025 at 3:57 pm
Coen used his threat of leaving for getting a better offer from tb. He then turned to JV and used his leverage of staying with TB to get JV to up their offer. He used both teams to outbid each other till he got the amount he wanted.
January 24th, 2025 at 4:21 pm
Mother Teresa munch telling everyone how they are, fans just need to vent sometimes it’s irrational and sometimes people are snakes who lack character and fans have a point and weight to get off their chest nothing wrong with it. At any rate bucs will still be good next season regardless go bucs.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:25 pm
Again as stated even in Jaguars.com they had interviewed at least 10 candidates at least once before moving into the 2nd interview phase. Those interviews included Brian Flores, Patrick Graham and Aaron Glenn. I guess you can even include Robert Saleh (who is of Lebanese descent that is a practicing Muslim). That’s four candidates that interviewed who fit the criteria of the Rooney Rule. Is there some stipulation at least one should advance to the next interviewing round or have offered one of these minority candidates some additional considerations? I don’t follow how there was a Rooney Rule violation that would put the hiring of Liam Coen in jeopardy. It smells of desperate wish-casting by one or both “Joes” who think there is a backdoor way of getting Coen back at OBP due to some hiring technicality that Jacksonville violated.
January 24th, 2025 at 5:27 pm
SB~LV Says:
January 24th, 2025 at 11:58 am
Raging Brisket
The Jags did comply with the Rooney Rule, interviewed and checked that box . I forget the name
—————————–
they didn’t, actually. the rooney rule requires them to interview 2 minorities. they had already agreed to a deal with coen before they interviewed their second rooney candidate-which was why they wanted him to keep everything under wraps until they had met the rooney requirement.
January 24th, 2025 at 7:01 pm
I feel bad for the wife but it seems like an appointment with a pediatric autoimmune specialist would have been known by all parties yesterday.
January 24th, 2025 at 7:22 pm
Douche