TAMPA, Fla. — Liam Coen says leaving Kentucky to become offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and potentially work with Baker Mayfield again was a “no-brainer.”
Coen was formally introduced as the newest member of the Bucs coaching staff on Tuesday, a move that could enhance the team’s chances of re-signing Mayfield.
‘Baker is an igniter, and that’s the type of guy you want to be around,” said Coen, who was the offensive coordinator of the Rams when the 2018 No. 1 overall pick played with Los Angeles for five games late in the 2022 season.
“He came into our organization at a difficult time, a time we weren’t having a lot of fun. He came in and made football fun for a lot of people at that time. … It was a tough year. The opportunity to be around him potentially every day, to coach a guy that’s as competitive as he is, that has that moxie, I mean, that’s fun,” Coen added.
Mayfield, playing with his fourth team in less than two years, revived his career by leading the Bucs to the NFC South title and a wild-card playoff win over the Philadelphia Eagles this season.
The 28-year-old quarterback will be a free agent in March and has expressed an interest in staying with Tampa Bay. He spoke favorably of Coen at the Pro Bowl Games before news of the hiring broke last weekend.
Coen was the Rams’ offensive coordinator two years ago, however he did not call plays. He left for Kentucky in 2023 for an opportunity to develop his play-calling skills with the Wildcats in the Southeastern Conference.
New Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen speaks to the media during an NFL football news conference Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. Coen was previously at the University of Kentucky and the Los Angeles Rams. Credit: AP/Chris O’Meara
The offense he plans to install in Tampa Bay is similar to a system the Bucs ran this season under Dave Canales, who’s moved on as head coach of the Carolina Panthers.
“There were a lot of good…
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