When Liam Coen took over as the new head coach in Duval, he made it clear who the Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense would orbit around. “We’ve got to build it around him,” Coen said, pointing right at Trevor Lawrence as the franchise’s engine. That vision came to life in their recent face-off against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Naturally, so did Coen’s breakdown of Lawrence’s night. “I think aside from the first play, I think he was at the line with a can and took a little long and it got us a little jumpy, but I thought aside from that well,” Coen recalled. “You look at getting through some progressions—he got back to Strange on a progression for a first down that was really nice to see.” Those progressions were exactly the kind of field vision Coen had been preaching since he took the headset.

However, that “first play” he mentioned was a quick lesson in how small mistakes can ripple. Right tackle Anton Harrison drew a false start flag, but Lawrence didn’t let it rattle him. He finished the night 6-of-7 for 43 yards, steering a 12-play march that ended with Cam Little splitting the uprights. Yet, there was one throw that turned heads for the wrong reason — a high, hanging pass to Brian Thomas Jr. that left the wideout exposed for a bone-rattling hit from safety Juan Thornhill. And Coen took the blame on himself.

“It was solid. He went out and did his job. The one to BT [Brian Thomas Jr.] was something that was kind of a scheme error in a way. He could maybe see that safety and move on and progress,” Coen admitted. “Don’t force it in there, but that was also a crappy play call. So, I’ll take some of that one, but I thought he operated well, and we didn’t ask him to go and do too much, but it was just solid from an operation standpoint for sure.” Owning that moment was a coach’s way of showing his locker room that accountability starts at the top.

After all, Thomas isn’t just another target in teal and black — he’s been a cornerstone since day one. His rookie year numbers told the story: 87 catches, 1,282 yards, 10 touchdowns, and the No. 61 spot on NFL.com’s Top 100 Players of 2025. Pair that with Lawrence’s 2,045 yards, 11 TDs, and an 85.2 passer rating from last season, and you see why the Steel City’s faithful knew protecting that connection was key. And in this very game, BTJ felt that chemistry was shining brighter than ever.

Brian Thomas Jr. set the tone for Liam Coen’s offensive play

Brian Thomas Jr. didn’t sugarcoat his thoughts after the Jaguars’ first-string offense capped an 11-play drive with just a field goal. “I feel like we did good, but we gotta clean up on real things,” he admitted. “We had a couple penalties… we needed to come out here and get this in. We’ll be ready for the season.” Then again, his follow-up made it clear this offense isn’t in the business of hiding flaws.

“Just adding to my game, expanding my route tree… having other good receivers helps — you can’t just double-team one person,” Thomas said. It was more than a personal update—it was a subtle message to Liam Coen that the Jaguars’ WR room is hungry for opportunities, not just the occasional nod.

Naturally, that hunger has teeth. Coen’s main mission remains building an offense around Trevor Lawrence, a system Duval believes can tap into the quarterback’s highest gear. But Thomas and his crew aren’t content to just run the routes called—they’re pushing for cleaner execution, longer drives, and concepts that turn them from receivers into full-blown playmakers.

Finally, the Jaguars’ camp seems ready to meet them halfway. Coen’s scheme forces Lawrence to process quicker and throw with anticipation, which dovetails perfectly with Thomas’s ask—force defenses to play honest and punish them for over-committing. “Yeah, I’m super comfortable with the offense right now,” Thomas said. “Me and Trevor, our chemistry is steady growing… getting extra reps after practice.”

Now, it’s on Coen to turn that steady growth into scoreboard damage, week after week.