You should always expect the unexpected when it comes to the NFL, especially during a search for a head coach. After watching Liam Coen return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Jacksonville Jaguars decided that they had seen enough of general manager Trent Baalke and kicked him to the boot. The decision immediately paid off, as the Jags are once again talking to Coen about potentially becoming their next head coach.
One day after the Jaguars got shunned by Coen, they're once again talking to him. It's no hyperbole to say that not having to work with Baalke made the difference.
Rick Stroud of The Tampa Bay Times reports that Coen has ghosted the Bucs since telling them that he was going to be back and has secretly talked to Jacksonville about its coaching opening.
Coen had not spoken to the Bucs since yesterday afternoon. They tried to reach him and have been unable to. Instead of signing his contract, which was a formality, he secretly traveled to Jacksonville to meet with Jags owner Shad Kahn.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 23, 2025
In a later post on social media, Stroud said that Coen is in talks to become the Jaguars' next head coach, so it may be a matter of time before they strike a deal.
Coen had already interviewed with the Jaguars once, and they were impressed with his knowledge beyond his side of the ball and his leadership skills. However, he got cold feet after scheduling a second meeting with them.
Even though Coen had already arranged a second interview with the Jags, Tampa Bay offered him a contract that would've made him the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL, alongside Vic Fangio. However, he never signed the deal, and like most things in life, it's not official until you put your John Hancock on the document.
Sure, Coen won't make many people at the Bucs' HQ happy, but a head-coaching job is too good to pass up, especially now that Baalke is gone.
The Jaguars are wasting no time pursuing Liam Coen after firing Trent Baalke
Based on how the Jaguars' coaching search has unfolded, this twist isn't particularly surprising. After all, they were expected to dismiss Trent Baalke along with Doug Pederson but kept him around. The decision raised eyebrows because contrary to what owner Shad Khan said, candidates for the head-coaching opening weren't thrilled to work with Baalke.
To nobody's surprise, Ben Johnson chose the Chicago Bears because he didn't want to have anything to do with Baalke, noting that Jacksonville didn't have the setup he needed to succeed. However, the Jags remained unfazed. It wasn't until Coen chose not to interview with them for the second time that Shad Khan realized his general manager was a liability and at last pulled the trigger.
Ultimately, there's no doubt that Khan was too slow when it came to firing Baalke. The good news is that he's quickly finding out how good the decision was and could soon land the head coach who will at last turn the team into perennial contender.