The season is not even over but teams that did not make the playoffs are making their moves with Ben Johnson and Liam Coen hired as the head coaches of the Bears and Jaguars, respectively. While the process for the former was smooth, the latter was anything but.
It is a surprise because an offensive coordinator moving to a divisional rival just after your team has been dumped out at home, as the first seed, in the playoffs might engender more opprobrium. However, the former Buccaneers' move featured a deal seemingly being agreed, a reversal, and the new team's general manager getting fired before all parties agreed to a contract.
Liam Coen's departure had all the drama one NFL Insider Jordan Schultz has now shed some light on what happened. He said that the Bucs offensive coordinator interviewed for the Jacksonville job but chose to remain in Tampa Bay saying he loved working with head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Baker Mayfield. His old franchise rewarded that loyalty by making him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the league, earning between $ 4-5 million.
Schultz revealed,
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"Basically what happened was Liam Coen interview with the Jags went very well the next day, he alerts Jacksonville. You know what? I appreciate the opportunity, but I want to remain in Tampa Bay... I love Baker Mayfield. Love Todd Bowles, the Bucs make him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the league. Four, four and a half million dollars."
However, the turning point came with the firing of Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke. Jacksonville then decided to try again by saying that this is a new situation and that they are willing to pay him similar to what Ben Johnson is getting in Chicago, which the insider said is expected to be more than $10 million for multiple years. Schultz added,
"Then you fast forward 24 hours, the Jags fired (GM) Trent Baalke, and now all of a sudden they start bombarding Liam Coen. 'Hey, would you be interested? Now that Trent's out, what can we do to get you in the building? Give us another chance'... this is an opportunity for him to be a head coach, and now, instead of making four, four and a half million, I've been told he's going to make Ben Johnson money, which is mid-teens. Yeah, it's a multi-year deal."
Buccaneers need to find consecutive offensive coordinator replacement after Liam Coen departure
This is now becoming a regular situation for the Buccaneers. They hired Dave Canales in 2023 and his performance saw him depart to become the head coach in Carolina last year after one season. Liam Coen has done the same now, departing after a solitary season. Tampa Bay needs yet another offensive coordinator now. The Jaguars' new head coach, on the other hand, will hope that he fares better than the Panthers' manager fared in 2024.
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