NFL Trade Rumors: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Extend Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are holding onto one of their own. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Bucs are signing offensive coordinator Liam Coen to an extension that will make him one of the highest-paid coordinators in the league.

Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen is taking himself out of the running for the Jaguars’ head coaching job to stay in Tampa on a new contract that now will place him amongst the highest-paid coordinators in the NFL, per sources.

Bucs are keeping their OC. pic.twitter.com/PWy5GP2uTy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 22, 2025

Coen has been a popular head coaching candidate over the past month and was even, at one point, the favorite to take over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Instead, he'll remain in Tampa to build on a spectacularly impressive first season with the Bucs.

Coen joined the Bucs last offseason after alternating back and forth between the Los Angeles Rams and the University of Kentucky from 2021 to 2023. His impact on the Bucs offense was staggering, particularly in the running game. After two straight seasons of finishing dead last in rushing yards and rushing yards per attempt, the Bucs finished in the top five in both categories in 2024, averaging an incredible 149.2 rushing yards per game at an efficient 5.3 yards per attempt.

That miraculous turnaround also benefitted the passing game. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield set career highs in passing yards (4500), passing touchdowns (41), and even net yards per passing attempt (6.97). That success speaks to the quality of Coen's system and the productivity of its pass catchers after the catch: Mayfield ranked 32nd in intended air yards per attempt among qualified quarterbacks.

Retaining Coen is a huge win for the Bucs. Even with injuries to star wide receivers like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs lept from 20.5 points per game in 2023 (20th in the league) to 29.5 in 2024 (fourth). With any luck, they could be even better in 2025. If that's the case, Coen will be an even hotter head coach prospect next offseason.