'My Dad Led a Great Search': Tony Khan Opens Up on Jaguars’ Decision to Bet Big on GM James Gladstone and HC Liam Coen

It’s no secret that the Jacksonville Jaguars have had a lackluster past few seasons. That’s why they decided to completely revamp their personnel this year. They hired offensive coordinator Liam Coen from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and assistant GM of the LA Rams, James Gladstone. Tony Khan, a Jags executive, believes both moves have been essential to the recent vibe shift within the organization.

Gone are the days of mediocrity under Doug Pederson, as the team welcomes younger minds who embrace advanced analytics.

When Tony Khan, son of Jags owner Shad Khan, spoke about Gladstone and Coen recently, he had nothing but good things to say. Specifically, he gave credit to his dad for leading the search and finding such talented people.

“My dad did a brilliant job on this. My dad led a great search, and I think as a group, we all were looking for people that could really help us develop the team as a group,” Khan shared on The Rich Eisen Show. 

“But also, particularly develop the offense. We had great pieces, we think we have a top young quarterback with Trevor Lawrence. And Brian Thomas Jr. is going to be a top receiver, and we think we have the pieces to build a great defense, and Liam had a great plan. Put together a great staff.” 

Coen has bounced around in his career, constantly working his way up the coaching ladder and never staying with an organization for more than two seasons. In 2022, he was the offensive coordinator for the Rams. Then in ’23, he went to the University of Kentucky to be their OC. And in ’24, he worked for the Bucs and game-planned an impressive offense weekly.

On the other hand, Gladstone doesn’t have a lot of experience. He’s only 35 and has held various positions with the Rams since 2016. Most notably, he was an assistant GM and director of scouting.

Despite their inexperience in leadership roles, Coen and Gladstone’s relevant experience in football seemingly vindicated the Jags’ decision to hire both simultaneously. Additionally, Tony later credited the two for helping with their audacious trade for Travis Hunter. It showcased how the duo is already proving to be a great asset to the team.

“It really speaks to the preparation. I think James Gladstone, Liam Coen, Tony Boselli… we have a great football leadership. And really, a lot of great communication. This was something that James and the team had been talking about for a long time. To me, I really think it’s just brilliant,” Khan said.

“They had made the deal in advance, and barring anything unforeseen with the first pick, this was going to happen. I just think for a person who’s a first-year general manager, James had great composure and a great plan. It was very impressive,” he added.

The blockbuster trade completely flipped a vibe switch that had been dormant in Jacksonville for quite some time. Ever since drafting Trevor Lawrence and pulling off a miraculous comeback in the Wild Card round in 2022, there hasn’t been much to get excited about with the team. But now, Hunter should provide that spark they’ve been missing in Duval County.

So far, Gladstone looks like a genius, and Coen looks like an up-and-coming head coach. However, both still have a lot to prove. It’s encouraging to hear that the front office is more than satisfied with the hires and the work they’ve done so far. But a bad start to the season could shift that conversation quickly.

Regardless, on paper, the Jags look like a reformed team heading into 2025. Gladstone and Coen have undoubtedly done an excellent job, proving that their hires, risky as they may have seemed at the time, could pay off this season and beyond.