“It Was The Most Gut-Wrenching Week Of My Life”
March 6th, 2025
Former Bucs OC speaks.
We finally get to hear Liam Coen’s side of the story.
Bucs fans are still peeved at Coen, the former Bucs offensive coordinator, because of how he left town seemingly in the dark of the night to have a clandestine meeting with the Jags and the team’s bungling owner Shad Con Khan.
Coen had a deal for a massive raise with the Bucs if he stayed. He verbally agreed to it. The contract was on his desk.
But the morning he was supposed to sign, Coen was instead in Jacksonville, interviewing for the Jags job that Khan tried to keep a secret to dodge the Rooney Rule.
Last week at the combine, Coen did a sitdown for Barstool Sports‘ “Pardon My Take” podcast co-hosted by Big Cat and PFT Commenter.
(Yes, those are aliases).
During the sitdown, Barstool Sports personality and Bucs superfan Steven Cheah grilled Coen about why he left and the circumstances surrounding the departure.
You could tell Coen didn’t really want to talk about it and either seemed depressed or embarrassed, or both. He seemed to have had the vibe that he got ambushed about how he got the job. But the Barstool Gang gave Coen a forum to explain.
“But ultimately, it came down to new information,” Coen said of what changed from his first Zoom meeting with Khan — to agreeing to a new Bus contract and having a clandestine in-person meeting with Khan.
“New information became available. When you’re going to buy a house and you figure out, like, it’s either not as good or better than you thought. And some of the people that ultimately kind of helped me throughout this journey, like at the end of day [said], ‘You’re allowed to change your mind.’
“It’s kind of, life.”
Coen added that the days leading up to his decision tore him up.
“It was the most gut-wrenching week of my life,” Coen said. “It was.”
Coen added he understood where Cheah and Bucs fans were coming from and understood how and why many Bucs fans consider him Public Enemy No. 1. Coen added he went from being a popular guy among young Bucs fans in his subdivision to being hated by the very same fans over his departure to Jacksonville.
“You sound like a lot of the boys in my neighborhood,” Coen told Cheah. “They are die-hard [Bucs] fans. They are p!ssed at me. They were p!ssed. They are cool now. We’re good.”
In the wake of taking the job at Jacksonville, Coen said he came to peace with his decision thanks to the Bucs.
Coen said he FaceTimed weeks ago with Baker Mayfield and Bucs offensive linemen from their tropical vacation and they were genuinely happy for him.
When Coen said he ran into Todd Bowles, it was all hugs.
March 6th, 2025 at 4:02 am
I’m not pissed at Coen. He did a hell of a job when he was here, and I understand doing what’s best for your family. Look forward to seeing what he can do with the Jags.
March 6th, 2025 at 4:03 am
Sounds suspect to say the least.
Put down the shovel Liam. You just keep putting out a spin doctors lines.
We in Tampa are a bit too smart for that Sir.
Go Bucs!
March 6th, 2025 at 4:46 am
Griz is today’s news. Liam is yesterday’s news. Go Griz.
March 6th, 2025 at 4:54 am
It’s not what he did.
It’s the way he did it.
I totally get making the jump from OC to HC and the additional money involved in making the move. No issues with that.
It’s just the way he did it.
Onward and upward.
From what I’ve been hearing, Josh Grizzard brings some serious knowledge and experience to the OC position.
And the players all speak highly of him.
Go Bucs!
March 6th, 2025 at 5:07 am
Good luck to El Serpiente!
That nickname has grown on me. It needed to be somewhere on this page.
March 6th, 2025 at 5:13 am
There’s no reason to be mad at the guy—be mad at the NFL for allowing coaches to walk away from their contracts for a promotion.
March 6th, 2025 at 5:34 am
Winners look forward and do not dwell on the past.
March 6th, 2025 at 5:53 am
Vanessa – Well said. Fully agree. It is the way Coen did it.
garro – Fully agree too. Coen keeps spinning and spinning.
Coen only got one interview so he wasn’t in high demand and probably should get over himself at this point. The proof will be how he does with the Jags. Of course the Bucs are going to say to him that they are happy for him. What else would they say when it was already done. Sounds like they are really happy to have Grizz as OC now too. Onward and upward.
March 6th, 2025 at 6:09 am
Wanting your cake and eating it too as it played out over social media is what led to all the hate.
The rumor was the stipulation of the new OC deal was for him to stop perusing any further offers…hypothetically, there would have been a fan revolt against Tampa imo, if Liam would have been straight with the Tampa Brass telling them regardless of the stipulation of the new deal you’re offering me, Jaguars are making another run for me and I have to hear their offer. If Tampa would have cut bait with him right then there for that breach, though he hadn’t signed anything, then F-ck Tampa. You don’t leave that kind of money and control of football franchise on the table like that.
If Liam would have simply trusted himself, regardless of whatever stern language the Bucs included in their offer, he would have walked away from this much better with this fanbase. NO ONE with any sense would have been mad with him.
March 6th, 2025 at 6:31 am
“It was the most gut wrenching week of my life”. “It was”. Hmm. I believe we’re better off without him.
March 6th, 2025 at 6:38 am
Enjoy going 7-10 at best Benedict.
March 6th, 2025 at 6:48 am
El Serpentine!
March 6th, 2025 at 6:57 am
Got over it a long while ago.
March 6th, 2025 at 7:15 am
Licht misread the situation. So we’re stuck with Bowles. Making Coen the co-HC was the right play. Much as Bowles does in crunch time, he called the wrong play. We’ll get to see how much was Coen and how much was the players this season. Optimistic…about the Offense.
March 6th, 2025 at 7:25 am
Who here is not leaving their current job for a promotion at a competitor and 5x the cash?
March 6th, 2025 at 7:44 am
Absolutely cowardly way out….no one would blame him for taking the lucrative Jax deal…just do it with class, dignity and confidence! He didn’t handle it well and deserves the intense criticism. I wonder how the Jax fans and team personel really feel…how could they not be concerned about their head coach not having the courage to deal with this situation with strength and conviction…hmmmmm
March 6th, 2025 at 8:21 am
Idc, sick of hearing about this guy’s golden path full of opportunity, mentorship, and forgiveness. Are we suppose to feel sorry for him? Empathetic over his heart-wrenching decision to grab the stack of cash and run (cant relate)? Yay, Coen. Is he GM too? Did he get part ownership? Is the commissioner grooming him for his skills of duplicity? His story does not interest me. Great coordinators are only as good as their players…they have a slew of assistants (see Griz), AI, and data crunchers at their disposal, it seems hard to fail unless you are a complete moron like Lefty.
Ok, that is my bitter rant for the month. Sorry if I brought you down (doubt anyone reads), but screaming into the void is therapeutic
March 6th, 2025 at 8:31 am
Coen earned his coaching opportunity by telling Canales to “hold my beer, while I run the ball like a madman”. Good for Coen and good for the Bucs. Excited to see the wizard dial it up this fall.
Part of me hopes an OG falls in the draft and Licht snaps him up @ 19. Getting demonstrably bigger, meaner, and uglier in the trenches is the way.
March 6th, 2025 at 8:48 am
“It was the most gut wrenching week of my life”.
It is a common tell for someone lying to exaggerate their verbal and nonverbal emotion when telling lies.
This kind of reminds me of Clinton ‘s famous “I did not have… with that woman” press conference. Several years after all of that went down, I remember seeing an expert (forensic psychologist?) on TV looking back on the event and explaining how even with the audio off, it was not difficult to watch that segment of the press conference until that the speaker was not being honest due to the uncharacteristically exaggerated hand gestures.
Liam is clearly exaggerating his emotion here. Liam has created relationships during multi-year stints at 3 different colleges and during a 3 (consecutive) year stint with the Rams. When he was much younger while visiting his father in the hospital (congestive heart failure) and waiting for his mother to arrive he received a call from a neighbor informing him that his loving mother passed away in one of the most tragic ways imaginable… And this guy is going to say that leaving a job of 11 months for an astronomical pay raise was “the most gut-wrenching week of (his) life”?
Not only is he careless with lying, the lying is just so needlessly unnecessary.
March 6th, 2025 at 8:55 am
Best OC in Bucs history.
Best run game, pulling lineman, in 10 years.
Some bad play calls, but also some great calls.
I’m happy for him. He’s not a bad man.
Good Luck Coach!
March 6th, 2025 at 9:15 am
He got a huge raise that any of us would have taken. Disappointed but not mad.
March 6th, 2025 at 9:20 am
Who cares?
March 6th, 2025 at 9:21 am
Communication is not his strong suit. That is a bad sign for a head coach. Made two boneheaded play calls against the Commanders.
March 6th, 2025 at 9:27 am
How do you like your eggs, Benedict?
Joe refers to the “slimy Saints” so what is his new moniker for the Poaching Panthers?
That team and it’s new head coach are vipers.
March 6th, 2025 at 9:40 am
Canales was just a talker anyway, an ersatz Tony Robbins. His shtick was already wearing thin at the end of his season here.
March 6th, 2025 at 9:43 am
This guy is a serious joke love what he did with us but could you imagine having to really depend on this guy in a tough spot you think he would stay to get you out he would run
March 6th, 2025 at 9:59 am
Anyone still spinning their wheels over Coen needs to find some other interests. It’s not worth being angry over, and in the end he was just doing what every other coach wants to do, which is make tons of money and run the show. The process just got a little bungled. We’ve moved on and I think a lot people are pumped for Grizz.
March 6th, 2025 at 10:25 am
“ New information”
They offered him a ton and got rid of the GM. This is what pisses people off. Just be honest about what the hell happened.
March 6th, 2025 at 10:39 am
Who is this Coen guy ???
I thought the OC that left us for JAX was El Serpiente hahahahaha
Seriously though got to move on.
He left. It was his life and his choice. Time to move on.
Go Bucs
March 6th, 2025 at 10:41 am
Most of us understand El Serpiente’s decision. That doesn’t mean we can’t loathe him like the stench of rotten eggs. No one is feeling sorry for Duuuuvaaaaal, and I’m personally watching for him and his girl quarterback fall flat on their arses.
March 6th, 2025 at 10:45 am
How can anyone be mad at him? It is his piece of the American dream we all chase and the rest of the world wishes they had the privilege of chasing. Although, $13 million is an awful big chunck of that dream, lol. And to think, a year ago he was a nobody at some noname college. $13 million… good job Liam and good luck. Thanks for the fun year and all the hard word you put in. Wish you were staying but you have 13 million good reasons for leaving. Thanks again
March 6th, 2025 at 11:17 am
Contracts? Honor? Agreements? Hand shakes ?,Promises? Dust in the wind, all lies and jest , still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest , ( to coin some phrases), the new business paradigm of sports , if it’s not in writing , signed and notarized, with witnesses it doesn’t mean squat , what’s good for the goose is good for the gander! It’s every man for himself , and who can blame anybody ? The new rules of the game , there are no rules , on either side.
March 6th, 2025 at 11:41 am
Didnt read, only scanned a bit of this article , but i DID read the posts!!(u go guys)!!!! Anyway- quit putting el serpentines pic up on a BUCS site, JOE!! C’mon, we all remember what the devil looks like-traitors don’t get written up about all the time-they r forgotten and/or despised-he is just like Durant is 2 OKC Thunder and OKC FANS ESPECIALLY!! Despised, booed 2 this day -not because he wasnt gr8, but because he pulled the SNAKE manuevers just like Coen-boo the man forever fans- a good guy who left right way and will be applauded would be Spytek-class act–but, Coen-SNAKE- SO PLZ QUIT putting up his pics on BUCS news as he IS DEFINITELY NOT OF BUCS CALIBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
March 6th, 2025 at 11:50 am
old news. Anybody that is mad that he took the Jags job-you are a Moron. $$ Talks Only 32 of these gigs. Go Bucs and that 29th ranked Pass Defense that holds us back from being a SB Team. PASS RUSH!!!
March 6th, 2025 at 12:06 pm
I have been similar situations myself. Which is why I wasn’t too bent out of shape when it happened. There is no book or manual on how to deal with a situation where you are faced with a contract the will alter your life forever. You’re just one signature away from having a lifetime of financial security. Now the pressure is off and with the benefit of hindsight he can be more circumspect. He also knows there will be a handful of folks that will never let it rest. Too bad. Life is too short to continue with that. He did a heck of job when he was here and at the end of the day that’s all that can be expected. To me going forward all that matters is them righting the ship and how that gets handled. Fixing this defense and getting this team to the promise land.
March 6th, 2025 at 12:51 pm
Imo, it is not a matter of being mad or not. I just don’t like turning this one hit wonder into a buccaneer cultural icon. His frog face pops up every other day, talk of his entitled path continues to grow like he is some sort of HOF offensive guru (1 year, that’s it, ONE), and he even gets a moniker to embed him into our conscience. In terms of buccaneer history, he is a blip on the radar, yet he has relevance beyond actual interest. He is just another OC poached by a big cat (next year the Bengals take Gruz)
March 6th, 2025 at 12:52 pm
*Griz
March 6th, 2025 at 12:57 pm
My takeaway, and it is time for a takeaway, is that the Bucs dodged a bullet when Coen turned down a ridiculous raise from them. That would have been a terrible precedent and unfair to the other coaches. Coen is just one in a line of OC’s who prove that Baker Mayfield can make any system work and any coach look like a genius. Canales won four or five games without him; let’s see how Coen does. Meanwhile, Baker, Bowles, Grizzard, and Co. will roll along with double-digit wins.
March 6th, 2025 at 2:05 pm
So many people with their feelings hurt. This has literally nothing to do with you so let it go man.
March 6th, 2025 at 2:39 pm
🐍 says ” Ssss I’m Allowedsssss to changessss my mind. Butssss I have no tesssss Ticles. So I used my childssss illness to covers sss up my sssneaky moves. Like a real man’s sss man would ssss do.” ~~~~🐍
March 6th, 2025 at 3:25 pm
Anyone mad about this is literally a retard.
Literally.
There isn’t a single person here that is taking a $4m/year for 3 years over a $12m/year for 5 years. If you have a problem with that, see above.
The Bucs rushed to announce a resigning, even though Coen wasn’t even in town – if the Bucs didn’t blast out an announcement (which was clearly meant to put pressure on Coen to resign), there isn’t a single person here that would have been throwing a fit. I understand why the Bucs did what they did, they wanted to make themselves the victim in the eyes of fans if Coen didn’t take the deal – but man, you don’t have to always be the sucker moron and fall for every bit of theater.
March 6th, 2025 at 3:56 pm
@Durango same.
I had a job offer and accepted and my employer more than matched it ( almost doubled my salary) and I didn’t have to travel an extra 30 miles. Company was beyond pissed and wanted to take legal action. I laughed at them.
Not mad at the guy for getting a 10x pay raise.
March 6th, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Nobody was mad at the guy for changing his mind. He just did it like a POS coward.
March 6th, 2025 at 7:57 pm
Duuuuvaaallll
March 6th, 2025 at 8:01 pm
Duuuuuvaaaaalll
March 6th, 2025 at 8:41 pm
1st of all the chances of THAT POS COEN BEING IN JACKSONVILLE FOR 5 YEARS IS SLIM TO NONE I SURELY HOPE TO HELL HE HAS A 3 WIN SEASON THAT WUD B WAY TO MANY WINS FOR A POS LIKE HIM
March 6th, 2025 at 8:44 pm
For u r information that POS called baker & krewe to tell them he was staying why do u people rite post with 1/2 the info & wrong info STFU IF U DONT KNOW WHAT U R TALKING BOUT
March 6th, 2025 at 8:51 pm
Davyboy what dreamy post get a life u might like POS COEN BUT FOR ME I GREAW UP A VERBAL AGREEMENT OR A HAND SHAKE IS HOW REAL MEN FACE LIFE WE DONT LIKE BACKSTABBIN POS
March 7th, 2025 at 6:24 am
BakersBuc, I learned along time ago if you weren’t there to see what REALLY went down you should be very careful how you judge someone because it is rarely repeated correctly, RARELY.
March 7th, 2025 at 4:35 pm
snake
March 7th, 2025 at 10:05 pm
How can you stand in the way of a guy getting a HC job?