When the Jacksonville Jaguars hired Liam Coen to be the team's new head coach in January 2025, they finally picked the right man for the job.

The Jaguars were coming off a disappointing 4-13 season, and questions about whether Trevor Lawrence would ever become the franchise quarterback he was expected to be were rampant. 

For whomever they hired, getting Lawrence to realize his incredible talent and potential would be job number one. 

Enter Coen, who had just gotten a career year from Baker Mayfield in his lone season as offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jacksonville hoped Coen could work his magic with Lawrence, and the organization would finally see the superstar it envisioned when it drafted the Clemson product first overall in 2021. 

Under Coen, Lawrence thrived, throwing for over 4,000 yards and a career-best 29 touchdowns. He also used his legs as a weapon, rushing for 359 yards and scoring nine more times, leading the Jaguars to a 13-4 record and an AFC South division title. Lawrence was also named an MVP finalist for the first time, finishing fifth. 

Lawrence wasn't the only one who flourished under Coen. Wide receiver Parker Washington had his own breakout campaign. The dynamic playmaker was the team’s leading receiver and ascended to the cusp of stardom. 

Running back Travis Etienne also enjoyed a terrific bounce-back season, rushing for over 1,100 yards and scoring 13 total touchdowns. 

Coen’s reputation as one of the NFL’s brightest offensive minds and best play-callers was on full display. He was also able to instill a winning culture and has his team set up for long-term success. 

That success has carried over to Coen’s second season at the helm. After Sunday’s destruction of the defending AFC champion New England Patriots, the Jaguars sit at 2-1 and look like one of the league’s top teams. 

The win over the Patriots was Coen’s 15th in only 20 games as a head coach.

Coen spoke with the media about that accomplishment and credited those around him for the total team effort it took to achieve. 

"It's so much about surrounding yourself with people that you trust, that you believe in, that are like-minded but also challenge you on a day-to-day basis. That's what's really fun about working with this building."

Coen has done an excellent job assembling an outstanding coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile are two of the fastest-rising stars in the coaching world. Both are expected to become head coaches sooner rather than later and will be among the hottest candidates in the next coaching cycle. 

Coen has also forged an excellent working relationship with general manager James Gladstone. 

Together, the pair have created an excellent team that is set up to be a problem for the rest of the NFL for the foreseeable future.