Trevor Lawrence dismisses coach Liam Coen during Jaguars defeat to Bengals

Dispute in Jaguars Locker Room?

The Jacksonville Jaguars seem to be experiencing some tension between head coach Liam Cohen and their leading quarterback, Trevor Lawrence.

This issue came to light during the Jaguars’ 31-27 defeat against the Cincinnati Bengals. Late in the game, after an errant pass, cameras caught Lawrence waving off Cohen, which is, well, not what you’d typically expect.

At that moment, Jacksonville was holding onto a slim three-point lead with just over four minutes left in the game. Lawrence aimed for wide receiver Diami Brown with what seemed like a strategic short pass to set up a better third down, but it didn’t go as planned.

The throw ended up being too high. Brown managed to get his hands on it but failed to make the catch. Broadcast footage showed Cohen appearing to yell at Lawrence, frantically indicating that the throw needed to be lower for a successful reception.

It seems Lawrence didn’t take the criticism very well, brushing off Cohen’s coaching gesture as they moved to the next play. Unfortunately, after failing to convert the third down, the team found themselves in a more challenging situation in the fourth quarter.

This time, Lawrence connected with his primary target, Brian Thomas Jr., but again, things went awry when Thomas couldn’t hold on to the pass, which ended up being detrimental. The Jaguars’ inability to execute gave Cincinnati an opportunity they didn’t waste.

The Bengals launched a 92-yard offensive drive that spanned over 15 plays, capped off by backup quarterback Jake Browning scoring a touchdown in the dying seconds of the game, especially significant after Joe Burrow had left the field with a toe injury earlier.

Post-game, Cohen downplayed the sideline interaction, emphasizing that it was just part of the emotional highs and lows of the sport. “It was just one throw. I was mad. It’s what it is,” he stated. “It’s not personal. I was pleased with Lawrence’s competitiveness. He’s pretty even-keeled, which is good for me.”