Mixed within Coen’s whirlwind hiring process was Khan parting ways with general manager Trent Baalke just after Coen decided to stick around in Tampa. Considering Coen’s sudden change of mind, he was asked Baalke’s departure impacted his decision. He was clear that it did not.
“No, that was not the factor,” Coen said on Monday.
Khan didn’t expand on his decision to dismiss Baalke after four seasons as the team’s GM, but pointed to the timing within the head-coach interview process as the reasoning behind why and when he decided to move on.
“After the 10 video interviews were done,” Khan said. “That was a transition point for me to reflect in what was the right thing for the organization, and that’s when I decided it was time for a change.”
Interestingly, Khan didn’t appear to put too much of an immediate priority on finding Baalke’s successor.
He said the first priority was building a coaching staff around Coen and then beginning the GM search. Khan, who’s owned the franchise since the 2012 season, also said he was far more hands-on in the hiring process than previously.
“One thing that was different about this search that I was directly involved with the candidates and their representatives,” Khan said. “So, I was involved with all of it.”
Whomever Coen’s offensive coordinator is, he won’t be playing calls. Coen said on Monday that he will handle that, which will make him the fourth different play-caller for quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The 2021 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick, Lawrence has showed plenty of promise, particularly in a 2022 Pro Bowl season — his first under previous head coach Doug Pederson. However, he hasn’t become the generational talent so many prognosticated.
It is handling the maturation of Lawrence that was clearly paramount in Khan’s choice of Coen.
“Our commitment to Trevor, I think it’s well known. We believe in him, so it started with that,” Khan said of the interview process.
Considering Coen’s work in 2024 with Baker Mayfield and the answers he gave Khan, the Jaguars owner was clearly convinced.
“After we got done with that, it was very evident to me that Liam was the guy,” Khan said.
In his opening comments, Khan said that Coen’s resume speaks for itself. The resume, however, is rather short in terms of NFL experience.
From 2018 through 2020, Coen was an assistant coaching receivers and then quarterbacks under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams. He then went to Kentucky for a year, was back with the Rams in 2022 as their offensive coordinator and then returned to Kentucky.
It was last season in which Coen’s stock hit a meteoric rise as the Buccaneers OC. Under Coen’s one-year watch, the Bucs were a top-four offense in scoring and yards, while likewise finishing in the top four in passing and rushing.
Furthermore, Mayfield, coming off a Pro Bowl 2023 campaign, had a career season in 2024. He threw for personal bests of 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns.
Now, it’s clear where the focus is.
“This will all be about Trevor right now,” Coen said.
Khan believes he has found his guy to lead his quarterback and his franchise to promise.
“When we interviewed 10 remarkable candidates for the position, two things became clear to me,” Khan said. “No. 1 that this wasn’t a moment of regret for the Jacksonville Jaguars. This was a moment of progress, optimism and confidence that we will achieve the ultimate goal as long as we have the right man. And No. 2, that man was Liam Coen.”