Report Confirms Reasons Behind Liam Coen’s Jaguars U-Turn After Bucs Offered Highest Coordinator Salary in History

“It’s not about the money. It’s about sending a message.” Joker’s famous line might resonate with Liam Coen. Even though his saga has been anything but villainous. The Buccaneers thought they’d locked in their offensive coordinator with a historic deal. But Coen was in Jacksonville by Wednesday evening. And he was sitting down with the Jaguars about a head coaching role. A role he had just turned down 24 hours prior. Why the sudden shift?

“Things changed with the job,” according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. And Coen felt he owed it to himself to explore the opportunity. “From a source on Liam Coen: ‘Ultimately, things changed with the job and he felt he owed it to himself to speak with (Jacksonville) about a head coaching position.” A contract hadn’t been offered as of last checking,” Fowler wrote on X. The change Fowler referred to? Jacksonville fired GM Trent Baalke on Wednesday. And it erased a major hurdle in their pursuit of Coen.

However, the Baalke dismissal came after Coen initially turned down the Jaguars. A response that embarrassed the franchise. But Coen’s sudden availability prompted the Jaguars’ ownership to act swiftly. Their decision may have been desperate, but it worked. Coen was back at the table.

The Buccaneers had offered Coen a three-year deal. It (reportedly) would have made him the highest-paid coordinator in NFL history. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer noted the deal was contingent on Coen skipping a second Jaguars interview. Yet, Wednesday evening reports revealed Coen was negotiating with Jacksonville. Breer reported: “We got more coming on this, but just a wild situation. Fair to say that Coen is on track to become the Jaguars’ next head coach and is almost certainly done with the Buccaneers either way.” This left Tampa Bay reeling.

Coen had made a name for himself as a protégé of Sean McVay. Besides, he is fresh off a year that saw Tampa Bay’s offense rank top five in six major categories. Meanwhile, his work with Baker Mayfield was the icing on the cake. He transformed him into a top-tier quarterback. And rightfully, the Buccaneers weren’t ready to lose their offensive maestro.

Buccaneers’ desperate play backfires

Tampa Bay went all-in to keep Coen. They offered a contract no coordinator could refuse—or so they thought. Breer explained that the secrecy surrounding Coen’s Jacksonville visit was intentional. Since the Bucs believed their offer would keep him. But Coen wasn’t swayed.

He’d reportedly informed head coach Todd Bowles about the Jaguars’ offer. Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reported that Coen claimed he was “with one of his kids… at a doctor’s office” when he missed their calls. “To be clear, the Liam Coen contacted head coach Todd Bowles around 5 p.m. Thursday. He said he had been with one of his kids, who had taken ill, at a doctor’s office. He mentioned the Jaguars situation only briefly, saying he wanted to look back into it,” Stroud suggested.

This wasn’t just a matter of money or opportunity. Jacksonville’s desperation turned into a bold move that left Tampa Bay blindsided. Now, the Buccaneers face an offseason of uncertainty. Since they not only need to replace Coen but also ensure their offense doesn’t lose momentum.

Coen’s departure means finding a new OC capable of replicating his success with Mayfield and the team’s revitalized ground game. Coen’s decision to pursue Jacksonville’s head coaching role is understandable. But Tampa Bay fans feel betrayed. Their team offered loyalty and a record-breaking salary. In return, they were ghosted and left scrambling for answers.

The Buccaneers may have (almost) lost their offensive coordinator. The Jaguars will gain a coach willing to gamble on their new direction. It’s a story of money, power, and the ultimate lure of control. Only time will reveal if Coen’s risky move pays off.