Liam Coen reverses course with Buccaneers to take job as Jaguars coach

Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The Jacksonville Jaguars hired former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen as their new head coach, they announced Friday.

"Becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that I am going to run with to instill a championship culture and winning tradition here in Duval [County]," Coen said in a news release.

"This doesn't happen without the support and opportunities that my family and I have been afforded throughout my career, especially during this past season in Tampa Bay."

Sources initially told NFL Network, ESPN and The Athletic on Wednesday that Coen withdrew his name from head coaching consideration and would stay with the Buccaneers, before those outlets reported Thursday that he changed his mind.

On Friday, Coen thanked Buccaneers coach Todd Bowels and the organization for their support. He also said he expects the Buccaneers to "have success ahead."

The Jaguars, who fired coach Doug Pederson on Jan. 6, fired general manager Trent Baalke on Wednesday. Jaguars owner Shad Khan said that move was made after the parties "arrived at the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate."

"To repeat my message earlier this week, I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville," Khan said Friday. "I also believe in being judged by actions, not words. That's why I took swift and decisive action this week to hire Liam Coen as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"I am pumped that Liam is accepting the challenge and opportunity to build the winner that Jaguars fans and partners fully deserve. I know our players feel the same."

Coen was among nearly a dozen candidates interviewed for the Jaguars job. Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who were hired by the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively, also interviewed.

Coen, 39, will become one of the youngest coaches in the NFL, behind only the Seattle Seahawks' Mike Macdonald (37), Johnson (38) and the Los Angeles Rams' Sean McVay (38). The former Buccaneers offensive coordinator previously held the same role at Kentucky, Maine and with McVay's Rams.

Under Coen, the Buccaneers' offense totaled the third-most yards and fourth-most points in the NFL in 2024. The aerial attack, led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, totaled the third-most passing yards and second-most passing scores. The Buccaneers also totaled the fourth-most rushing yards.

Coen also worked as a position coach and passing game coordinator at Brown, Rhode Island and UMass before his jump to the NFL.

He worked as the Rams' assistant wide receivers coach from 2018 through 2019 and as their assistant quarterbacks coach in 2020. He served as Rams offensive coordinator in 2022, in between stints as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kentucky in 2021 and 2023.

The Jaguars, who went 22-29 in three seasons under Pederson, hold the No. 5 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They made the postseason just twice in the last 17 years.

"Most of all, we are grateful to Shad Khan for his belief in what we will bring to the Jaguars. We will work tirelessly to reward his confidence," Coen said. "As head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, I will hire a first-class coaching staff, establish a distinctive and effective brand of football on both sides of the ball, and our players will live for the black and teal.

"Shad and Jaguars fans should expect nothing less, and that's what we plan to deliver and more. My wife Ashley and our family are honored to be here and a part of the Jacksonville community. We are ready to get to work."