Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has no hard feelings about Liam Coen’s about-face, after Coen initially said he would return as the Bucs’ offensive coordinator and then took the Jaguars’ head-coaching job.
“People have their thoughts about how it went down and I understand the emotional aspect of it, but I’m happy for Liam. He deserves an opportunity,” Mayfield said.
Mayfield said Trevor Lawrence will benefit from working with Coen, just as Mayfield himself has.
“For Trevor, Liam taught the game of football to all of our offensive guys,” Mayfield said. “Trevor’s going to have a guy that’s going to grow into him, lean into that and help him out, not just on the field but off the field.”
Mayfield knows what it is to be a first overall draft pick who struggled before finding his groove in the NFL, and after Coen played a big part in shaping Mayfield’s career, he’ll do the same for Lawrence.
One of the hot names on the coordinator circuit has landed another interview.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, the Jaguars are interviewing Vikings’ assistant offensive coordinator Grant Udinski for their offensive coordinator vacancy on Friday.
Udinski, 28, has been with the Vikings since 2022, starting out as the team’s assistant to the head coach/special projects. He was promoted to assistant QBs coach in 2023 and added assistant offensive coordinator to his title in 2024.
Udinski started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with Baylor in 2019 and followed Matt Rhule to be a coaching assistant with the Panthers in 2020.
He’s now received interest from five teams who need an offensive coordinator this offseason.
The Buccaneers couldn’t keep Liam Coen from taking the Jaguars’ head coaching job, but they aren’t letting their former offensive coordinator take other members of their staff with him to Jacksonville.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Bucs have blocked the Jaguars’ request to interview assistant offensive line coach Brian Picucci for a spot on Coen’s staff in Jacksonville.
Picucci joined the Bucs in 2024 after working with Coen at the University of Kentucky. He was also on the University of Massachusetts staff when Coen played for the school and he worked for the Lions when Matt Patricia was their head coach.
Another report this week indicated the Bucs declined a Jacksonville request to interview offensive line coach Kevin Carberry, so it seems Coen will have to look beyond his former team as he works to fill out his staff with the Jaguars.
New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen has hired his most important assistant.
The Jaguars have announced that Anthony Campanile is their new defensive coordinator. With Coen calling the offensive plays, Campanile will call the defense.
The 42-year-old Campanile spent last season as the Packers’ linebackers coach and run game coordinator and was linebackers coach for the Dolphins before that. He has also been on the coaching staffs at Michigan, Boston College and Rutgers.
Coming off a 4-13 season, the Jaguars need to make a major overhaul on both sides of the ball. Coen has made clear that his top priority is building an offense around Trevor Lawrence, and Campanile will get to work on building the Jaguars’ defense.
The Jaguars interviewed another candidate for their offensive coordinator opening on Wednesday.
The team announced the completion of an interview with Commanders quarterbacks coach Tavita Pritchard.
Pritchard has been on the Commanders staff the last two seasons and his second year was a lot more successful thanks to the arrival of Jayden Daniels. The Jaguars won’t be drafting a new quarterback, but head coach Liam Coen and any offensive coordinator will be tasked with getting Trevor Lawrence back on track.
The Jaguars have also interviewed Rams offensive assistant/passing game specialist Nate Scheelhaase. Wednesday also brought a report that they would like to interview Commanders assistant quarterbacks coach David Blough.
