![Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen talks after the Jaguars final Organized Team Activity on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_117,y_90,w_2364,h_1329/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ReutersImages/mmsport/55/01ky82tm71a7rj0h5fn5.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen talks after the Jaguars final Organized Team Activity on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]")
The Jacksonville Jaguars don't get nearly as much respect as other NFL teams do. Some of that is self-inflicted and stems from their inability to win football games on a consistent basis. The good news is that they're in a great position to buck the trend.
Since Liam Coen became the head coach in 2025, he's overseen a cultural shift in Duval. However, he's aware that more work will be needed if the Jags truly want to earn the respect they crave.
Liam Coen argues that Jaguars will be playing for respect in 2026
Liam Coen had a sitdown with Pete Schrager of ESPN and noted that the Jaguars will be playing for respect next season, noting that they can get it with consistent winning.
"You like to think you like to see that steady climb, and that's going to be a huge message to our entire team is the word that you just used is respect," Coen said (24:27 mark). "If we want respect, we respect each other in this building. We know what we have here. Not sure it's always on the outside, which is fine. But if you want respect in this league, you got to go earn it. You got to go take it. And what is respect? Well, that's consistent winning. Putting together a product, an organization, and a team that is consistent."
Coen continued, "The truest measure of performance is consistency, and to earn that respect and take that respect as a player, as a coach, from your peers. I mean, that's next to winning a Super Bowl, right? That's what you want. You want respect from your locker room, your respect from your peers, your family, the people around you, money, fame, all that stuff's great. It comes with it, but respect, and that's something that we have to go earn and take on a day-to-day basis."
The Jaguars haven't made the playoffs in consecutive years since 1998-1999, and they've reached the postseason just four times dating back to 2007.
The Jaguars are in a prime position to get that respect
You will often see fans from opposing teams talking about how the Jaguars have no fans, or that they'll relocate to London even though they're remodeling EverBank Stadium. On the other hand, you won't see them getting top billing from the national media. They can fix that by winning.
Already, Jacksonville drew plenty of interest late in 2025, so it will be up to Liam Coen and the team to keep building momentum. Working in their favor is that they have the players and the ecosystem to pull it off.
Perhaps this is the year the Jaguars go from a small-market team to a perennial contender.
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