TAMPA, Florida — Liam Coen has agreed to terms to become the next offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the organisation announced on Saturday.
After interviewing all of the contenders early on Friday morning, Coen was declared the front-runner by the Bucs. However, at the time, insiders claimed that negotiations were still ongoing with the University of Kentucky because Coen was still bound to his contract as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Wildcats.
The details of the agreement and the preparations that have to be done with Kentucky were not immediately public.
Coen was a desirable addition to the Buccaneers roster because of his prior experience working under Sean McVay. He was the assistant wide receivers coach for the Los Angeles Rams from 2018 to 2019, the assistant quarterbacks coach for the 2020 season, the offensive coordinator for 2022, and an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Kentucky in 2021 and 2023.
In 2023, the Buccaneers employed an offensive scheme that was inspired by Shane Waldron’s Seattle Seahawks offence, thanks to the departure of offensive coordinator Dave Canales. For four seasons, Waldron collaborated with McVay before introducing his approach to Seattle. The Buccaneers thought it best to maintain the offence as similar to last year’s as feasible for continuity, having spent the previous season learning a new offence under Canales.
As the two collaborated in Los Angeles in 2022, Coen’s arrival in Tampa is crucial to the Buccaneers’ chances of re-signing quarterback Baker Mayfield. Given that Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans expressed a high level of satisfaction with the system last year, it would also be helpful in getting Evans to sign again. Both expressed a desire to return to Tampa Bay if a financial arrangement could be made, and the Buccaneers would be thrilled to have them both back.
