Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen has had an incredibly successful career thus far.

He has worked his way up the college ranks, starting as quarterbacks coach for Brown University in 2010. Coen was both the QBs coach and pass game coordinator for UMass from 2014-2015 before being named offensive coordinator (and, of course, quarterbacks coach) at the University of Maine, holding those positions from 2016-2017.

Coen entered the world of NFL coaching in 2018 under Sean McVay as assistant wide receivers coach with the Los Angeles Rams. He held that position for two seasons before being named assistant quarterbacks coach in 2020.

Coen then bounced between the NFL and college football, leaving LA to become offensive coordinator/QBs coach at the University of Kentucky in 2021, going back to the Rams as OC in 2022, and then returning to Kentucky to reclaim his dual roles in 2023.

In 2024, Coen returned to the NFL, and I think it's fair to say he is here for good. After one season as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Jaguars hired Coen as head coach in early 2025.

In his first season in Jacksonville, Coen orchestrated a dramatic turnaround for the franchise, leading the team to a 13-4 record, nine more wins than in the previous season.

Still only 40 years old, Coen has already earned a reputation as one of the brightest offensive minds and is one of the best play-callers in the NFL.

Coen appeared on The Pivot podcast, as reported by Athlon Sports, and opened up about the biggest regret of his coaching career: leaving the Rams to go back to Kentucky for the 2023 season.

Looking back, Coen admitted that his decision to leave LA and return to Kentucky was driven by money and ego. He emphasized that none of the regret has to do with Kentucky at all. He talked about how much he loved it there and how he had his first child there, making it a special place for his family.

"Kentucky called back...and we had just loved it there. It was beautiful, it was amazing, we had our first child there. Kind of chased some money a little bit, And also, an ego decision, I think, I wasn't calling plays in L.A. I knew what I was getting into, but I did miss that. And not just calling plays, but leading, like leading your way."

It is fascinating to hear a coach speak so candidly about something he regrets. Usually, a coach will stand by his decisions, even the ones that don't work out. Coen has shown the self-awareness to admit to what he now believes was a poor decision.

It is understandable, though, for him to be frustrated at not having the opportunity to call plays while he was the Rams' OC. No matter how great Coen has proven to be at it, calling plays is not a task Sean McVay is willing to give up.

However, Coen also admits that what he regrets the most about returning to Kentucky is feeling like he left the NFL when things got hard. The Rams, after winning the Super Bowl the year prior (when Coen left the NFL to coach at UK the first time), struggled mightily in 2022, and then Coen left.

"And that was my biggest regret, going back to Kentucky in '23. Because, you know what, I thought it was an opportunity. Hadn't lost a lot in my career – I didn't have a ton of losing seasons or been on a ton of bad teams. I'd been on some. I thought it was just a great opportunity to stick something out with a friend and an organization that gave me my first opportunity – that I missed, that I walked away from when it was hard, and went to a familiar place where I'd had success."

It is refreshing and very interesting to hear someone speak so openly.

However, it is very hard to say that Coen made the wrong decision. The path he took has led him to where he is now. Coen is one of the top up-and-coming head coaches in the NFL and has already created a winning culture in Jacksonville.

Who knows how his career would have turned out had he not left the Rams when he did. Maybe he would have gotten a head coaching job sooner, but it turned out to be the wrong job. Maybe he never would have gotten out of McVay's shadow.

I'm sure Coen is happy with the way everything turned out. I know the Jaguars and the city of Jacksonville are.