After the genuinely messy way he decided to leave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, former offensive coordinator Liam Coen was officially introduced as the next Jacksonville Jaguars head coach at a press conference on Monday. It was the beginning of one chapter, but the closing of another, but the story didn't end for the Bucs without one final memorable moment.
It needs to be said that for as bizarre as Coen's exit from Tampa Bay was, he accomplished a lot that everyone should be proud of. He fixed the league's worst rushing attack and helped introduce the world to Bucky Irving. After signing a $100 million contract last offseason, Baker Mayfield turned in the finest year of his career while the Buccaneers' offense became one of the top units in the NFL.
Coen was the architect of that success, and while we've spent the last few days trolling him into oblivion he does deserve his flowers.
However, the nature of his departure opens him up to justified criticism and it's partially why an awkward moment as his first Jaguars press conference was so enjoyable for Bucs fans.
Liam Coen got roasted for his cringey 'Duval' moment during first Jaguars press conference
While delivering his introductory speech, Coen went off script and gifted the world with perhaps the most awkward moment of this year's coaching cycle. Coen dropped a 'Duuuuuval' while at the podium, which there's nothing inherently wrong with, but it's how he went about it that has everyone taking pause.
How on-brand, right?
it’s unfair but I watched this live and thought oh that’s the biting kneecaps of this cycle pic.twitter.com/vCUbs7oVrH
— Gregg Rosenthal (@greggrosenthal) January 27, 2025
Oof!
Then again, Buccaneers fans are coming into this situation hopped up on healthy amount of angst for Coen. Much like how he said Duval has turned him into a bit of a joke, how he left the Bucs still has everyone in Tampa Bay a bit worked up.
It's wasn't just Bucs fans who were roasting Coen, though. Just about everyone had some fun at his expense, which was a little cathartic to see.
I take back everything nice I’ve ever said about Liam Coen it’s already over for him pic.twitter.com/eRuwiDkS6i
— Justin (@Justin_14P) January 27, 2025
Liam Coen with the worst sounding #DUUUVAL I have ever heard uh oh pic.twitter.com/LBs4fNAht0
— Unbiased Jag (@UnbiasedJag) January 27, 2025
Liam Coen has -1000 Aura 🤣
— NFL Notifications (@NFLNotify) January 27, 2025
pic.twitter.com/4VUAEY5VQu
Listen to Liam Coen say DUUVAAL 😂
— Raiders Report Mitchell Renz (@MitchellRenz365) January 27, 2025
He would have never made it as the Raiders head coach pic.twitter.com/6PqYE7ATsE
0-17 pic.twitter.com/p2ouXvtfBC
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) January 27, 2025
Even Jaguars fans were giving him a hard time, which further proves that Liam Coen is a uniting factor. His exit from Tampa Bay was so messy that it brought together the anti-Todd Bowles crowd with the rest of the fanbase, and has both Bucs fans and Jaguars fans roasting him in unison.
Maybe he really is the leader that Jacksonville needs.
That being said, this feels like a perfect end point for Buccaneers fans caring about Coen. What's done is done, and while the divorce was messy it's all in the past now. We can remember him for all the good he managed to do during his one season in Tampa Bay and for this cringy little moment that serves as a fantastic palate cleanser.
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