After going 4-13 last year, the Jacksonville Jaguars ousted head coach Doug Pederson. To replace him, they ran an extensive search. Early on, they set their sights on Ben Johnson, but they eventually turned their attention to Liam Coen.
During his interview with the Jags, Coen impressed the top brass not only with his knowledge of offense and defense; His leadership skills stood out. To nobody's surprise, he ended up getting the job (after a series of twists and turns).
On a recent clip Jacksonville shared, you can see those leadership skills shine.
Accountability starts with Jaguars HC Liam Coen
The Jaguars posted a video in which Liam Coen addressed players following the loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The biggest highlight was arguably when the first-year head coach took accountability for his playcalling, noting that he's not putting players in a position to succeed.
"There's a scramble opportunity on fourth down. Trevor and I just talked about, but guys, this is not my best by any means," Coen told the team ( 4:17 mark). "This is not, not putting you guys in your best position to succeed on fourth and seven. There's no question."
Rookie LeQuint Allen then intercedes, noting that he picked up the wrong blitz. However, Coen stops him and points out that says that he failed players regardless because he didn't call the right play.
"I appreciate you saying that, dude. I know Trevor thought that as well. There's some scrim-offs. I appreciate saying that, Quint, but I gotta be better in this situation. Regardless, it's my job. That's my job. I'm gonna ask you to do yours. I gotta do mine. But we gotta own this expletive because guys, what you're about to see that's us at our best right here, coming up with the best version of us. We talk about having a growth mindset," Coen said.
"Understand, guys, this is part of growth right here, right now. Seven weeks in with everything in front of us, guys, you go all the way back and watch what we do and when we plan our best one snap at a time."
Coen goes on to show the clip of Travis Etienne breaking off a huge run against the Carolina Panthers in the opener.
Best part is Ezra Cleveland being the first down the field to celebrate with @swaggy_t1 🤧#CARvsJAX on FOXpic.twitter.com/svhJmpqWky
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 7, 2025
Something that stands out about Coen's message is that the team has been uploading videos regardless of the outcome of the games. The Jaguars could easily just post videos when they win, but they are also giving access when they lose. That's most definitely a breath of fresh air.
The Jaguas are trending in the right direction under Liam Coen
Doug Pederson made headlines in 2024 because he threw players under the bus in an effort to shield right-hand man Press Taylor after a loss. Rightly, he was heavily scrutinized, because even if players are failing to deliver, it all starts with the head coach. And if he fails to accept his part of the blame, how can the rest do the same?
Coen is well aware of this, which is why he isn't afraid to take responsibility for his shortcomings. Team reporter and NFL analyst Bucky Brooks caught wind of the remarks and broke down why the message was so effective.
"This is a head coaching masterclass in building a team with self-awareness, humility, accountability, and confidence," Brooks wrote on Twitter. "At a time when some coaches would crack the whip amid a 2-game losing streak, Liam Coen opted to encourage, enlighten, and inspire his teams. As a former player, this would make me want to own my mistakes and shortcomings, while giving more energy and effort to the mission."
There's still plenty of work left, but nobody will deny the fact that Liam Coen is making an effort to change the team's culture from the bottom up. It may take time, but the early results are promising.