Not every better future opportunity can turn out to be a successful one. And the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen underwent a tough phase to learn about, which dates back to the time he jumped between the LA Rams and the Kentucky Wildcats.
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“You get into the NFL, and at that point I’m like, ‘I made it.’ That was McVay first,” Coen said on The Pivot Podcast. “And so that’s 2018. Zack Taylor had just become quarterback’s coach. Assistant receivers’ job opens up. I’m like, ‘I’m in. I’m never going to leave.’… Spent all your time on that. Kentucky calls, and you’re like, man, I can go call plays in the SEC… Take that opportunity. And then Sean calls again. 22. You just left. They won the Super Bowl.
“And that was probably one of my biggest regrets in this profession. You ask about moments and what goes into that. At that time, in 22, we had that tough year, won five games, and weren’t really quite sure what he was going to do, maybe in ways, and Kentucky called back, and we had just loved it there… We had our first child there, and kind of chased some money a little bit, and also an ego decision I think, I wasn’t calling plays in LA. I knew what I was getting into, but I did miss that. And not just calling plays, but leading your way, and that was my biggest regret going back to Kentucky in 23.”
Head coach Sean McVay has been part of the Los Angeles Rams since 2017. Meanwhile, Liam Coen first joined the franchise in 2018 as assistant wide receivers coach. In his debut season, the Rams broke their 16-year drought to reach Super Bowl LIII.
Even though the New England Patriots defeated them 13-3, Coen saw it as a sign of hope for a successful stint. However, the plan didn’t go that way. In the next two seasons, the Rams failed to reach the Super Bowl, leading to Coen considering an offensive coordinator role with the Kentucky Wildcats.
However, the moment Liam Coen moved away, Sean McVay & Co. won the Super Bowl LVI in the 2021 season. Even today, Coen deeply regrets the decision because the 40-year-old had an opportunity to win the Super Bowl with the Rams.
Despite moving away from Los Angeles, McVay called Coen back to the franchise and assigned him as the new offensive coordinator. While McVay maintained full-time play-calling duties, Coen designed offensive schemes, which he didn’t want to. So, he moved to Kentucky once again to call plays in the 2023 season.
This time, however, McVay and the Rams didn’t offer Liam another role in the franchise. Currently, Liam Coen is the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, heading into a season where his previous team is planning to win another Super Bowl.