Jaguars owner Shad Khan's son and AEW owner Tony Khan couldn't even convey this type of storyline shake-up regarding Liam Cohen's surprising change of plans.
“We're calling it a plot twist, a massive plot twist for the Jacksonville Jaguars' head coaching search,” NFL Network insider Rapoport said Thursday night.
In one of the more impressive developments in recent coaching search history, Cohen previously ruled out consideration and became the NFL's highest-paid coordinator after agreeing to the Buccaneers' expansion as Jaguars head coach per multiple reports. agreed to become .
Cohen shocked many around the NFL with his maneuvers during this wild 48-hour stretch.
“As one person said about the two-day saga where the Jaguars lost their GM, the Buccaneers lost their OC, and Cohen accepted two jobs, one making him the NFL's highest-paid coordinator and another saying, became Jacksonville's HC. “I've never seen anything like that in my life.'' ESPN's Adam Schefter tweeted.
Sports executives in this day and age are shocked, especially since deals can collapse in seconds or seem tantalizingly close to being revived when they appear dead on arrival. It takes a lot to receive.
But the Cohen saga is certainly one to be talked about for years to come.
Cohen, a first-year offensive coordinator, originally opted not to consider the Jaguars gig, opting instead to return to Tampa Bay.
The Buccaneers then awarded him the most lucrative coordinator contract on the spot, with Rappaport stating, “The deal was made, agreed to, everything was fine.”
But everything went wrong.
“And then he kind of disappeared,” Rapoport said.
The Jaguars fired general manager Trent Balke later in the day, which changed the equation for Cohen, as that was a factor in why he passed on the job, per ESPN.
Jacksonville reached out to Cohen and asked him to reconsider after the move, and he met with Kern and interim general manager Ethan Waugh on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers had some alarms going off when Coen was unavailable.
Cohen told Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles about his sudden change of heart “on Thursday night,” but general manager Jason Richt and the rest of the front office , did not speak, according to ESPN.
“The last 24 hours really darkened on them as they tried to get answers. He tried to get answers too, but due to different circumstances,” Rapoport said Thursday night. told. “They were trying to figure out what was going on with Liam Cohen. Why didn't he sign his extension? He was actually heading to Jacksonville.
Those talks reportedly led to a deal being agreed late Thursday night, with an announcement potentially coming Friday.
The Jaguars hope Cohen can stabilize the franchise and get the most out of No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence, who has been underwhelming compared to his lofty expectations in four seasons thus far.
They also need to find a new general manager, and it's fair to assume Cohen will have a say in that process.
The Buccaneers will be looking for a third offensive coordinator in many years after being left at the altar.
One advantage they have is that the last two coaches to hold the position – Cohen and Panthers coach Dave Canales – have had success in that role leading to head coaching jobs. .
“A lot of this is about Trevor Lawrence and making sure the quarterback position is right,” Rappaport said. “Liam Cohen did a great job as the Bucs' offensive coordinator, it wasn't an argument. But how did he get there? Admittedly, I think it's a little bit painful. ”
