The Jacksonville Jaguars had their fair share of intriguing choices when they were looking for a head coach but ultimately chose Liam Coen for the job. Based on his work with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his arrival will give Trevor Lawrence and the offense an immediate boost. In fact, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history had nothing but good things to say about the Jags' new head coach.
Hall-of-Fame quarterback Peyton Manning attended the 2025 Pro Bowl and talked about a myriad of issues, including Coen's arrival in Jacksonville and how it will impact Lawrence. Here's what the Sheriff had to say about the Jaguars' new head coach.
"I don't know Liam well, personally. He had this High School football camp called the Manning Passing Academy that every quarterback here was a counselor," Manning said when asked about Coen, via 1010 XL. "Russell Wilson was actually a camper. Liam Coen was a camper at the camp. Obviously, we taught him how to be a coach. [He's] done a good job on the quarterback development, but he's done a heck of a good job, everywhere he's been, at Kentucky, the Rams."
Manning continued, "You know that's a good system to be from, with [Sean] McVay, and done a good job with Baker [Mayfield]. Baker speaks very highly of him, so happy for him having that opportunity. Yeah, I'm a big Trevor Lawrence fan. I'm pulling for him. Trevor's gonna be in his third head coach in just a short number of years, which it's tough for a quarterback. I'm a quarterback defender.
"Hopefully, he and Liam can be together for a long time to establish a little continuity but it sure seems like a heck of a playcaller, and I wish him well."
For context, Manning won Super Bowls as a member of the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos, and his list of accomplishments and individual accolades is too long to list on Wikipedia. Heck, he probably won a few awards you have no idea existed. That's why his endorsement of Lawrence and Coen is noteworthy.
Regarding Manning's comments about Sean McVay, the Los Angeles Rams head coach is one of the brightest offensive minds currently in the NFL, and having the chance to learn from him has helped him have success with both the Buccaneers and Kentucky.
On the other hand, Manning is right that Lawrence would benefit from a bit of continuity. Sure, he had Doug Pederson for three years, but he progressively got less involved with his development, and once the former Jaguars head coach trusted right-hand man Press Taylor to guide No. 16, his growth was hampered.
Below is the full clip of Manning sharing his thoughts about Coen and Lawrence.
Peyton Manning's comments must be reassuring for Jaguars fans and Trevor Lawrence
It's fair to say that many fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars weren't impressed with Liam Coen's introductory press conference. Whether it was his Duval chant or his vision for the team, he didn't get rave reviews. That said, Peyton Manning's vote of confidence should ease any potential concerns.
Make no mistake, though. Even if Manning hadn't endorsed Coen, his resume speaks for itself. As the Hall-of-Fame quarterback said, the former Buccaneers offensive coordinator got the best out of Baker Mayfield, and he should have a similar impact for Trevor Lawrence, who's coming off a somewhat underwhelming season.
The bottom line is that the Jaguars needed someone who could turn their offense into a powerhouse and steer the ship in the right direction. Based on what he accomplished in Tampa Bay, Liam Coen is their guy.