Lukewarm message after Jaguars' successful season sparks unexpected controversy

Although things ended on a sour note, nobody will deny that the Jacksonville Jaguars exceeded expectations in 2025. Sure, the loss to the Buffalo Bills will sting for a while, but it won't undo everything the Jags accomplished in Year 1 of the Liam Coen era.

Rightly, a local reporter shared a few encouraging words with Coen and congratulated him for the job he did in his first season at the helm. But what was supposed to be a lukewarm message ended up stirring controversy on social media.

Liam Coen gets praised for his work with the Jaguars in 2025

Following the discouraging loss to the Bills, Liam Coen met with reporters. Lynn Jones of the Jacksonville Press took advantage of the opportunity to heap him in praise, noting that the 2025 season was a resounding success. Here's the message.

"I just want to tell you, congratulations on your success, young man; you hold your head up," Jones told Coen. "All right. You guys have had a most magnificent season. He did a great job out there today, so you just hold your head up. Okay, ladies and gentlemen. Duvall, you the one. All right, keep it going. We got another season. Okay, take care of much continued success to you and the entire team."

All things considered, pretty harmless remarks, right? Jones simply congratulated Coen. Nothing more, nothing less. However, not everyone appreciated the exchange. Mark Long took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the whole thing.

"Nothing "awesome" about fans/fake media doing stuff like that. It should be embarrassing for the people who credentialized her and her organization, and it's a waste of time for those of us actually working.

For the sake of context, Jones' message lasted no more than 30 seconds, and even if you disagree with her, you could still not make a big fuss about it, as she didn't take any time away from her peers.

Related: One bizarre moment just told Jags fans everything about the Liam Coen effect

The Jaguars did indeed have a magnificent season

You may agree or disagree that press conferences are the place to praise coaches or players, but there's no doubt that Lynn Jones' comments most definitely echo what Jaguars fans think about Liam Coen. After all, expectations were pretty low when he took the job, and the roster had several holes despite the fact that general manager James Gladstone did his best to add upgrades in the offseason.

Jacksonville won 13 games in Coen's first season at the helm, the most they had since 1999. Moreover, he elevated several players who had struggled in past years. Similarly, he spearheaded a cultural shift, and that should help the Jags enjoy sustained success for years to come.

There's no doubt that Liam Coen's first season with the Jaguars ended on a sour note, but he gave fans enough reasons to believe beyond 2025. If anything, they should go into the offseason knowing that they have the core in place to return to the playoffs next year.