TAMPA, Fla. — Offensive coordinator Liam Coen of Tampa Bay has withdrawn his candidacy for the head coach position with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coen was slated to meet with Jaguars owner Shad Khan, general manager Trent Baalke, and other team officials for an in-person interview on Wednesday, but he opted to stay with the Buccaneers where he is expected to sign a new contract. This information comes from a source who preferred to remain anonymous, as neither party has publicly confirmed this development.
With Coen stepping aside, Jacksonville’s coaching search takes a different course, having previously honed in on him along with Las Vegas defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh. Interviews for both Graham and Saleh are set for Thursday and Friday, respectively.
After deciding to part ways with Doug Pederson earlier this month, Khan expressed confidence that Baalke’s continued presence would not hinder the search for a new head coach. However, Baalke’s reputation around the league is less than stellar. Out of the five coaches he has hired in his time with the San Francisco 49ers and the Jaguars, three were let go after just one season. Furthermore, Baalke’s drafting choices have been inconsistent, and last year’s free-agent acquisitions proved to be among the franchise’s most disappointing.
The retention of Baalke seems to be a factor slowing down candidate interest. Initial interviews included ten candidates, such as Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Johnson has since accepted a position with Chicago, while Glenn is pursuing additional interviews with New Orleans and New York Jets.
Jacksonville still has the option to revisit candidates like Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Philadelphia’s Kellen Moore, and Kansas City’s Steve Spagnuolo. NFL regulations limit the soonest a candidate can be interviewed again to the following week since their teams are engaged in conference title games.
By deciding to stay, Coen has chosen to continue as a coordinator rather than stepping into a head coaching role. At 39, he was instrumental in designing one of Tampa Bay’s highest-scoring offenses, which ranked third in the NFL with 399.6 yards per game and fourth in points scored, averaging 29.5.
During his inaugural NFL season in 2022, Coen experienced less success with the Los Angeles Rams, who finished last in the league in yardage partly due to the absence of key players like quarterback Matthew Stafford and receiver Cooper Kupp for a significant portion of the season. Following that year, Coen returned to the college level, taking a position at Kentucky.
His continued role in Tampa Bay could set Coen on the trajectory to eventually succeed 61-year-old head coach Todd Bowles.
The Jaguars (4-13) now have one fewer option to consider in their head coach search. They are positioned well with a young quarterback, Trevor Lawrence, who shows promise, an emerging star in receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and a few key defensive players including cornerback Tyson Campbell and pass rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. Additionally, they have a new practice facility in the works along with an extensive $1.4 billion renovation plan for their stadium.
With the fifth overall pick in April’s draft and approximately $50 million in salary cap space for 2025, the Jaguars operate in a relatively weak division (AFC South) in a sunny state with no income tax. Despite going 3-10 in closely contested games last season, they may be positioned for rapid improvement.
However, Khan is devoted to playing at least one home game yearly in London, which could place the team at a competitive disadvantage. The Jaguars will also face reduced home game capacity in 2026 and will play the entirety of 2027 away from Jacksonville. There are several veterans on the roster nearing the end of their careers, along with Baalke’s ongoing oversight over team decisions.
