The Bucs’ worst fears came true as offensive coordinator Liam Coen will not be returning to Tampa Bay. After verbally agreeing to a three-year deal that would have made him the highest-paid offensive coordinator in NFL history on Wednesday, Coen accepted the Jaguars head coaching position per multiple reports in a stunning turn of events.

Bucs OC Liam Coen, QB Baker Mayfield and HC Todd Bowles – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Instead of signing his new contract with Tampa Bay on Thursday, Coen stealthily met with Jaguars owner Shad Khan in Jacksonville instead – without telling the Bucs. In fact, multiple members of the Bucs brass tried to reach Coen throughout the day on Thursday and he finally called head coach Todd Bowles back before 6:00 p.m. and said that he had been to the hospital with his sick child.

Coen briefly mentioned that he might be interested in meeting with the Jaguars during that call – yet he already met with Khan in Jacksonville.

The fact that Coen lied about his whereabouts and his renewed interest in the Jacksonville had many within the Bucs organization livid on Thursday evening. On Wednesday, Coen had told Bowles, the Glazers, general manager Jason Licht, quarterback Baker Mayfield and his staff of assistant coaches that he would stay in Tampa Bay and not go to Jacksonville.

With Liam Coen’s departure, the Bucs will be looking for their fourth offensive coordinator in four seasons. The last two offensive play-callers the Bucs hired wound up as head coaches in Dave Canales with Carolina in 2024 and Coen in Jacksonville in 2025. With Bowles suddenly having the reputation for being a kingmaker, there should be plenty of interest around the league about interviewing for Tampa Bay’s vacant offensive coordinator job.

Bowles also needs to find a replacement for defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers, who left on Thursday to be the defensive line coach in Detroit. Bucs linebackers coach Larry Foote is also expected to interview with the Lions for their vacant defensive coordinator role.

Liam Coen Won’t Be Able To Take His Bucs Assistants To Jacksonville

Bucs RBs coach Skip Peete, OC Liam Coen and TEs coach Justin Peelle – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

While Liam Coen has left the Bucs to become the Jaguars head coach where he was also get to select the team’s next general manager, he won’t be able to take his offensive staff with him. In fact, Coen can only take one offensive assistant with him to be the Jaguars offensive coordinator in title only – as Coen will be calling plays. NFL rules prohibit assistant coaches from making lateral moves, so that means the vast majority of the staff that Coen hired last year will stay in Tampa Bay.

Of the offensive staff the most likely to leave would be assistant offensive line coach Brian Picucci, whom Coen brought with him to Tampa Bay from Kentucky. Picucci has the longest connection with Coen as he was a coach at UMass while Coen was the team’s quarterback in the late 2000s.

Coen hired Picucci, offensive line coach Kevin Carberry, wide receivers coach Bryan McClendon, tight ends coach Justin Peelle and pass game coordinator Josh Grizzard and inherited running backs coach Skip Peete and quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis from Dave Canales’ staff.

Tampa Bay has lost a number of important figures this week. Assistant general manager John Spytek has taken the job as general manager of the Raiders, co-defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers has moved on to the Lions to be their defensive line coach, and fellow defensive coordinator Larry Foote is interviewing with the Lions as well for their defensive coordinator position.

It was thought that the Bucs could handle these losses if it still meant that Coen was back running the offense. But this will continue to be a difficult situation now that Liam Coen is off to Jacksonville and the Bucs will have to find another offensive play-caller.