Jacksonville's coaching staff is safe from the rampant firings across the NFL, but the Jaguars' offensive and defensive coordinators may be the first leaves to get picked from Liam Coen's coaching tree.
As head coaches and coordinators across the NFL are handed their walking papers after missing the playoffs, the Jacksonville Jaguars are apparently safe from the slaughter.
But with fully one-fourth of head coaches now out of a job, the Jags coaching staff, put together last winter by new head coach Liam Coen, may not be altogether untouchable.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen (center right) hired Anthony Campanile (left of Coen) from the Packers in January 2025 to take over as defensive coordinator in Jacksonville. (Travis Register/Imagn Images)The Baltimore Ravens parted ways with head coach John Harbaugh on Wednesday, ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opting Thursday to slash their offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard (and quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis) rather than throw head coach Todd Bowles overboard.
The Miami Dolphins announced Thursday morning they were letting go of head coach Mike McDaniel, with owner Stephen Ross citing the need for "comprehensive change."
Also letting go their coaches this week were the Cleveland Browns (Kevin Stefanski), the Las Vegas Raiders (Pete Carroll), the Atlanta Falcons (Raheem Morris), and the Arizona Cardinals (Johathan Gannon).
Before the end of the season, the New York Giants fired Brian Daboll and the Tennessee Titans let go Brian Callahan.
Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, amid his first season in Jacksonville, has been on several NFL teams' candidate lists as a possible head coach hire. (Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)With eight teams searching for their next head coach, how long before those teams' owners and general managers start inviting the first two coordinators from the Liam Coen coaching tree?
On January 24, 2025, the Jaguars hired Coen away from Tampa Bay, where he'd served for one year as the Buccaneers' offensive coordinator. A favorite of Bucs senior advisor and former head coach Bruce Arians, Coen fueled the Bucs' high-octane offense and helped lead Tampa to a 10-7 record and a playoff berth in 2024.
In Jacksonville, Coen and his staff -- and new general manager James Gladstone -- have resurrected the Jaguars, who are the No. 3 seed in the AFC playoff bracket after winning the AFC South title with a 13-4 record. It's the first time the Jags have reached 13 wins since their 14-2 season in 1999, and their first division title in three years.
Coen has been among the NFL Coach of the Year favorites since early December, especially after the Jags upset division-rival Indianapolis Colts to get the fourth of what is now an eight-game win streak.
Thanks to Coen and his offensive coordinator, Grant Udinski, the Jaguars' offense has improved significantly this season, as has the play and leadership of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Udinski, who will turn 30 on Monday, was hired away from the Minnesota Vikings on Feb. 5, after he served for two years as the Vikes' assistant OC/QB coach.
Lawrence played this season at an almost MVP level, The top pick in the NFL draft in 2021, he set franchise records this season for total touchdowns (38) and reached a career high with 29 passing TDs against 11 interceptions. With 4,007 passing yards and a 60.9-percent completion rate, Lawrence this year is easily among the NFL's best quarterbacks.
Coen first signed Anthony Campanile as defensive coordinator on Jan. 30. Campanile came to Jacksonville from the Green Bay Packers, who had him for one season as their linebackers/running-game coach.
Campanile, 43, has been among the candidates in the Titans' search for a head coach since mid-December. The Titans fired Callahan on Oct. 13, after the team started the season 1-5. Tennessee finished 3-14, in last place in the AFC South, under Mike McCoy, a senior offensive assistant who took over as interim coach.
The Jaguars' new coaching triumvirate has led the team to a historical turnaround from its 4-13 finish in 2024.
Campanile has built a rangy, speedy defense that's ranked in the top 11 overall and leads the league in passing defense, giving up just 85.6 yards per game. Jacksonville also ranks second in the NFL this season in takeaways, with 31 through Week 18 -- 22 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries, trailing only the Bears. (Chicago totals 33 takeaways -- 23 INTs and 10 fumble recoveries.) The Jags rank No. 8 in points allowed at 19.8 for the season.
In 2024, the Jaguars ranked No. 31, just above the Carolina Panthers, in total defense. Under former coach Doug Pederson and DC Ryan Nielsen, Jacksonville's defense allowed nearly 390 yards per game; its pass defense was dead last in the NFL, allowing 257.4 yards per game.
Because the playoffs kick off this weekend, Udinski and Campanile may not get deluged with official calls for interviews with other teams.
The Jaguars host the Buffalo Bills (12-5) in the AFC Wild Card Round on Sunday at noon ET.