• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Nominations Are Open for Front Office Sports Honors! Submit Now

Jaguars Land Coen in Stunning Move As NFL Coaching Carousel Nears End

The Jaguars are set to hire Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen, but not after causing a stir with how the team ultimately landed the coach.

Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The NFL’s coaching carousel is finally winding down, but not without some unexpected—and expensive—drama.

The Jaguars announced the hire of Liam Coen and the Raiders are expected to hire Pete Carroll, leaving just the Cowboys and Saints as the final two teams still searching for their next head coaches. At one point, seven clubs were looking for head coaches—including the Bears, Jets, and Patriots.

Jumping Ship

Coen’s departure from the Buccaneers, where he was the offensive coordinator for just one season, has quickly become the most extraordinary move of this hiring cycle.

Earlier this week, Coen turned down the Jaguars and verbally agreed to an extension with Tampa Bay that would have made him the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history with a salary of nearly $4.5 million.

But then, the Jaguars fired GM Trent Baalke and asked Coen to reconsider. Jacksonville reportedly offered a contract similar to the one the Bears gave Ben Johnson (who also passed on the Jaguars, citing “the setup”), which is believed to be in the range of $13 million per year. Coen went to Jacksonville to meet with Jaguars owner Shad Khan without telling Bucs coach Todd Bowles or GM Jason Licht.

Khan is making his third head coaching hire since 2021, and Coen is set to join a different team for the sixth straight season. The Bucs will end up with a fourth offensive coordinator in as many seasons, following Dave Canales becoming head coach of the Panthers last year and Byron Leftwich’s firing the year before.

A Jagged History

Coen’s hire makes him the eighth head coach in Jaguars history (not counting interim coaches):

  • Tom Coughlin: 1995–2002 (68–60)
  • Jack Del Rio: 2003–2011 (68–71)
  • Mike Mularkey: 2012 (2–14)
  • Gus Bradley: 2013–2016 (14–48)
  • Doug Marrone: 2017–2020 (23–43)
  • Urban Meyer: 2021 (2–11)
  • Doug Pederson: 2022–2024 (22–29)

Is Age Just a Number? 

Pete Carroll, who will turn 74 in September, is returning to the sidelines on a three-year contract with the Raiders that includes a fourth-year team option. He spent the 2024 season out of coaching after the Seahawks fired him following a 14-year run that included winning Super Bowl XLVIII.

Tom Brady, a minority owner in Las Vegas, was believed to be very involved in the coaching and GM hires (the Raiders hired Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek) alongside owner Mark Davis. The process came under scrutiny after the Raiders interviewed both Lions coordinators, Aaron Glenn and the aforementioned Ben Johnson, ahead of Brady calling Detroit’s divisional playoff matchup against the Commanders on Fox.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Los Angeles Golf Club owners Alexis Ohanian and Serena Williams cheer for their team against the New York Golf Club during the TGL semifinal match at SoFi Center on March 17, 2025, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
exclusive

Serena Williams, Alexis Ohanian Bid on NFL Flag Football

Williams and Ohanian are the first known bidders for the flag football league.
Mar 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the first half Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Creator Behind the LeBron ‘Glazing’ Trend Sweeping TikTok

FOS spoke to TikTok user OkaySpade who made the original song.

Goodell, Owners Signal 18-Game NFL Season Is Coming—Eventually

The idea of a longer schedule ties into several other league initiatives.
Laney-Hamilton

WNBA Champion Missing Season Shows Risks and Kinks of Unrivaled

The Liberty have six weeks to make a decision on Betnijah Laney-Hamilton.

Featured Today

Seattle Kraken

Samantha Holloway Is Seattle’s NHL Present—and Hopeful NBA Future

Samantha Holloway is steering the Kraken and hoping to revive pro hoops.
Brehanna Daniels
March 31, 2025

NASCAR Pit Crew Member Brehanna Daniels Didn’t Know She’d Be a Trailblazer

The first Black female tire changer didn’t know she’d be a trailblazer.
Columbia, SC - February 16, 2025 - Colonial Life Arena: Rebecca Lobo and Ryan Ruocco during a regular season game.
March 30, 2025

Inside Ryan Ruocco’s Rapid Rise to ESPN’s Top Voice of Women’s Hoops

The top voice became “quickly addicted” to calling the women’s game.
Mar 27, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide guard Chris Youngblood (8) and the Alabama Crimson Tide bench celebrate during the second half against the Brigham Young Cougars during an East Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center.
March 29, 2025

How Alabama Became College Basketball’s Newest Juggernaut

The Crimson Tide have found success rivaling their historic football program.
Caledonian Braves

The Scottish Soccer Club With 9,000 Owners—Including NBA and NWSL Players

The Braves’ popularity exploded in the last 10 months.
March 31, 2025

Jets Offer Most Employees Buyouts

The team offered nearly 70% of its workforce severance packages.
Sacramento A's
April 1, 2025

A’s Sacramento Debut Beset by Logistical Problems

Monday saw broadcast issues, a drone delay, and a tight press setup.
Sponsored

How UBS Crafts Impactful Partnerships Across Sports, Arts, and Culture

As UBS continues to expand its impressive array of sports and entertainment partnerships, the company solidifies its position as a leader in wealth management.
March 31, 2025

NFL’s QB Market Shake-Up Puts Steelers in Unfamiliar Territory

Conversations are continuing with four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Mark Cuban watches the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center.
March 28, 2025

Mark Cuban Says He ‘Fully Expected’ to Run Mavs After Selling Team

Cuban still owns about 27% of the Mavericks.
Adam Silver
March 27, 2025

The $6.1 Billion Celtics Sale Is Not Street-Legal Yet

The complex deal still has some league hoops to jump through.
Mar 16, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) reacts against the Charlotte Hornets during the second half at Intuit Dome.
March 26, 2025

Celtics Sale Has Made Ballmer’s $2B Clippers Stunner a Bargain

The Celtics owners agreed to sell the team for $6.1 billion.