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Jaguars owner Shad Khan’s son and AEW owner Tony Khan couldn’t even deliver this type of storyline swerve regarding Liam Coen’s stunning change of plans.
“We call that a plot twist, a massive plot twist for the Jacksonville Jaguars for their head coaching search,” NFL Network insider Rapoport said Thursday night.
In one of the more stunning developments in recent coaching search history, Coen agreed to become the Jaguars’ head coach, per multiple reports, after previously removing himself from consideration and agreeing to a Buccaneers extension that would have made him the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator.
Coen shocked many around the NFL with his maneuvering during this wild 48-hour stretch that included him leaving his now former team unable to contact him.
“As one person said about the two-day saga that saw the Jaguars lose their GM, the Buccaneers lose their OC and Coen accept two jobs – one that made him the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator, and another to become Jacksonville’s HC: ‘I’ve never seen anything like it in my life,’” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted.
It takes a lot for sports executives to be shocked in this day and age, especially since deals can seem tantalizingly close only to fall apart in seconds or to be resurrected when seemingly dead on arrival.
But Coen’s saga is one that surely will be talked about for years to come.
Coen, the first-year offensive coordinator, originally pulled himself out of consideration for the Jaguars’ gig and instead opted to return to Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers then awarded him the most lucrative coordinator contract in the spot, with Rapaport noting the deal was “done, it was agreed to, everything was fine” aside from staffing questions.
But everything was not fine.
“And then he kind of disappeared,” Rapoport said.
The Jaguars fired general manager Trent Baalke later that day, which changed the equation for Coen since that had been a factor in why he passed on the job, per ESPN.
Jacksonville reached out to Coen to ask him to reconsider after the move and he met Thursday with Khan and interim general manager Ethan Waugh, per the report.
The Buccaneers, meanwhile, had some alarms going off when they could not contact Coen.
Coen told Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles “earlier Thursday night” about his sudden change of heart but did not talk to general manager Jason Licht or the rest of the front office, per ESPN.
“Really went dark on them for the last 24 hours as they tried to get answers, he tried to get answers as well but for a different situation,” Rapoport said Thursday night. “They were trying to figure out what was going on with Liam Coen, why hadn’t he signed his extension, he actually was heading down to Jacksonville … where he is in the building right now talking to them about their head coaching job.”
Those talks led to the sides agreeing to a deal late Thursday night, per reports, and an announcement could come Friday.
The Jaguars are hoping Coen can help stabilize their franchise and get the most out of No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence, who has underwhelmed relative to high expectations thus far in four seasons.
They also still have to find their new general manager and it’s fair to assume that Coen will have a say in that process.
The Buccaneers, after being left at the altar, will be searching for their third offensive coordinator in as many years.
The one advantage they have is the last two coaches to hold that position — Coen and Panthers coach Dave Canales — have both parlayed their success in that role into a head coaching job.
“So much of this is about Trevor Lawrence and making sure the quarterback position is right,” Rapaport said. “Liam Coen did an excellent job as an offensive coordinator for the Bucs, that has been no debate. But how he got there? Certainly, I would say, is a little bit spicy.”
