Liam Coen Is Quickly Gaining Head Coaching Interest

This isn’t the first time the Jaguars have thought about hiring a Bucs’ offensive coordinator to be their head coach. They last time they needed a new coach was when they hired Pederson, but came very close to making Byron Leftwich their coach before things fell apart and Leftwich went back to Tampa. Leftwich coached one more season for the Bucs and then was fired. Tampa Bay hired Dave Canales in 2023 where he called plays for one season before becoming the Panthers head coach and the Bucs hired Liam Coen for the 2024 season, which became a rousing success offensively.

The appeal for Coen going to the Jaguars would be to work with former number one overall pick quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who will be entering his fifth NFL season. Jacksonville also has a rising star in rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr, who had a great rookie season, and have a talented running back with Travis Etienne Jr. going into his fourth year. Coen and Tampa Bay got a close look at the Jaguars having had a two joint training camp practices with them this season.

Jacksonville won’t be the only team that the Bucs have to worry about hiring Liam Coen. The Patriots are defintiely another team that Coen will definitely consider since he’s from the New England area. Getting the chance to coach first round pick Caleb Williams on the bears might also be something he’d be interested in.

Liam Coen Wants To Be A Head Coach, But It Can Wait

If the Bucs are to keep Liam Coen as an offensive coordinator after this season, they’ll have to hope that the current head coach openings aren’t what he wants. It also helps that Tampa Bay has been immensely successful in his first year calling plays at the NFL level.

The Bucs have an enticing outlook knowing that Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, Cade Otton and the entire offensive line except for Ben Bredeson are going to be back next season. All the Tampa Bay needs to figure out on the offensive side is how to bring back Chris Godwin at receiver. Coen may want have another scoring a lot of points with this group. And why wouldn’t he? The Bucs scored 502 points in the regular season. That’s the second most they’ve score in franchise history.

Under Liam Coen’s watch, he got Mike Evans to reach 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th straight season, despite missing three games. He set upBucky Irving be the Bucs first running back to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a decade and also helped Baker Mayfield reach career highs in several categories. That includes 41 passing touchdowns, which put Mayfield second all-time Bucs history for single season passing touchdowns, trailing Tom Brady by two.

The relationship that Liam Coen has with Baker Mayfield and the rest of the offense might be too great to pass up. Coen said himself that he’s having so much fun. He thinks he’s ready to be a coach, but he also doesn’t need to rush into it either.

“Yeah, I do believe I’m ready to do so,” Liam Coen said last week. ““I don’t think you’re ever truly fully ready but yeah, that is a dream. Does that need to happen when I’m 39 years old and having probably the most fun of my life coaching, working and being here?

“No, that doesn’t mean that needs to occur right now but yeah, that is the goal. That is absolutely the goal, but like I said before, that goal can hold off for a while here and continue to do what we’re doing. That would be pretty special.”

The Bucs and Coen still have a lot to play for as they get ready for a postseason game. Eventually when the offseason comes about, Liam Coen is likely to have many other offers. We’ll have to wait and see what he decides.