Since there aren’t any NFL games this weekend (the Pro Bowl games don’t qualify), it would be wise to take a look at some teams’ recent coaching hires. Liam Coen, the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were involved in an odd triangle of controversy. Although some regrettable choices were made, Coen probably doesn’t regret accepting the head coaching position with the Jaguars. The hire of Aaron Glenn, the former defensive coordinator for the Lions with a strong coaching and playing background, gives the New York Jets many reasons to be optimistic. Let’s move on to the fact or fiction for this week.
Liam Coen made the proper choice by accepting the HC position with the Jaguars. To be clear, Coen handled his departure from the Buccaneers horribly, and the Jaguars made a joke of the Rooney Rule by going to any lengths to hire him. Ultimately, Coen made the correct choice by accepting the head coaching position with the Jaguars, even though it was uglier than a reality TV dating show. For a candidate who has never been an NFL head coach, this is a rare opportunity that he couldn’t pass up. By declining head coaching jobs across several hiring cycles, Ben Johnson took a chance. After taking over as head coach of the Chicago Bears this month, it worked out for him. However, the majority of instructors are not as lucky, and many are rapidly forgotten, especially if their respective team endures a losing season.
A year after being the hotshot coordinator and having a number of head coaching interviews lined up for assisting C.J. Stroud in having a spectacular rookie season, Bobby Slowik was recently fired as the offensive coordinator for the Houston Texans. Despite leading one of the league’s top offenses for the last two seasons as Lamar Jackson’s offensive play-caller, Todd Monken isn’t even given a meaningful look by teams. After helping Joe Burrow win the Heisman Trophy at LSU in 2019, many people thought Joe Brady would be hired as head coach a year or two later, but he has yet to be hired. Coen seized the chance presented by Trevor Lawrence, a quarterback with great promise. Again, he could have handled it, but it’s difficult to blame him for that. Coen should have kept reminding himself not to pass on his opportunity before telling the Jaguars that he was pulling his name from consideration.
Perhaps, as is often the case with job postings, it was a leverage move to obtain more. However, this convoluted affair has multiple sides, and based on sources, the Buccaneers are not thrilled with the way things turned out. After giving it his all to help Tampa Bay win games in 2024, Coen prioritized his family and himself. With time, everything will be alright.
The Jets made the proper choice in hiring Aaron Glenn
Predicting how a new coach will perform with a new team is never easy. Furthermore, evaluating a coach just on the basis of their first press conference is rarely a smart idea.
When Dan Campbell said during his first press conference that his players would bite off knee camps, he was promptly labeled a meathead. Because Nick Sirianni was anxious during his first press conference, he was called incompetent. Because Coen made an uncomfortable “Duuuval” shout when he first met the Jacksonville media, there are now hundreds of “0–17” comments under his social media videos. However, I will defy the most important guideline regarding how not to evaluate a new head coach. Glenn’s sharing of his old anecdotes from his playing days with the Jets was sage. To remind Jets supporters of how far he took them as a fierce defensive back under Bill Parcells, he brought up the 1998 AFC championship game.
Carter’s defensive lineup with T’Vondre Sweat, Harold Landry III, and Jeffrey Simmons would undoubtedly greatly aid Tennessee’s recovery. However, this club is in dire need of a quarterback, has gaps at several positions, and their defensive front may be their only asset. Maybe a team in the top 10 wants to select Carter or Hunter with the first overall pick in the April draft. Both the Jaguars and the New England Patriots have picks in the top five and are set at quarterback. The Titans must maintain a wide range of alternatives.
In the following four years, the Bills and Ravens will not win a Super Bowl
When it comes to keeping their best rivals from winning titles, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has excelled to a degree that only Michael Jordan and a select few other all-time greats can match. Given that Mahomes and the Chiefs keep getting in the way, it’s reasonable to question whether Josh Allen or Jackson will ever win a Super Bowl. Burrow has already defeated the Chiefs in the playoffs and participated in a Super Bowl, so I won’t put him in the same category as them. Despite not having the Buffalo Bills or Baltimore Ravens for this MMQB exercise, I will predict that either Allen or Jackson will make a breakthrough in the next four years.
