The Jacskonville Jaguars had several former prominent NFL players show up at Organized Team Activities. Maurice Jones-Drew, A.J. Green II, and Devin and Jason McCourty were among those who paid the Jags a visit.
Some of these players have ties to Jacksonville. But regardless of what team they suited up for, head coach Liam Coen believes that bringing them in as guests can have a positive impact on his players.
Maurice Jones-Drew and A.J Green visit the Jaguars at OTAs
Liam Coen met with the local media after an OTA practice. He said his team benefits from having former NFL players visit, noting that they can learn a lot from players who've accomplished big things.
"It's great to get MoJo out here, and we'll have a few more over the next few days. Fred Taylor will come in, Mercedes Lewis. We had the McCourty Twins out here today, AJ Green out here today, coach Mike Waffle, defense line specialist. "Coen told reporters (1:20 mark)" "Really, to get our guys around players that did it at a high level, whether it was here or elsewhere, just man, if they can take any nugget from them over the next three days, we got better.
Coen continued, "And to get, especially the McCourty twins right, being in New England for those years, the level of consistency, their approach, and me picking their brains of what that was like, that's something that's really important to me."
"We show our players a lot of examples throughout the offseason program and in season of the best of the best, right, like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, but then those teams that were great, and going into some of those details of what it takes to be great, what it takes to sustain success over the course of years, and that's why I think it was really important to get these guys out here."
While Maurice Jones-Drew and A.J. Green were Pro Bowl players during their respective careers, the McCourty twins won the Super Bowl together during their stint with the New England Patriots, so they know a thing or two about a winning culture. All of them can talk about what it takes to play at a high level.
Liam Coen quietly turning the Jaguars culture around
Liam Coen's first season with the Jaguars was nothing short of impressive. Coming off a 4-13 season, they won 13 games and won the AFC South title. However, the Jags haven't made the postseason in back-to-back years since the 2000s. Coen will be looking to buck the trend, but it won't be an easy task. This is where bringing in players who've seen what it takes to build a winning culture comes in handy.
Having sustained success in the NFL is tough because of how competitive it is. Thus, Jacksonville will need to replenish the roster and add playmakers on a consistent basis. For his part, Coen cannot get complacent like his predecessor Doug Pederson did after taking the Jags to the playoffs in 2022.
The Jaguars surely enjoyed taking notes from Maurice Jones-Drew, A.J. Green, and the McCourty twins. They'll now need to put them into practice.
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