Reporter Who Went Viral at Liam Coen’s Jaguars Presser Claps Back at Critics

Lynn Jones-Turpin defended what she said to Coen during the Jaguars’ postgame presser on Sunday.

Jacksonville Free Press reporter Lynn Jones-Turpin came under fire for sending Liam Coen a supportive message during a postgame presser. / Screengrab on Twitter/ @Phil_Lewis_

The biggest story of NFL wild-card weekend might not have taken place on the field, but rather in the press room: Jacksonville Free Press reporter Lynn Jones-Turpin went viral Sunday for offering a few words of encouragement to Liam Coen in a postgame presser following the Jaguars’ loss to the Bills.

For those who haven’t seen the widely shared clip, Adam Schefter reposted a video of Jones-Turpin consoling Coen after his playoff loss. “I just want to tell you congratulations on your success, young man. ... You hold your head up, all right? You guys have had a most magnificent season,” Jones-Turpin said during their brief exchange.

Schefter described the uplifting moment as “awesome,” but it elicited lots of mixed reactions from fellow reporters and journalists in the sports media industry. Many sports journalists claimed it wasn’t Jones-Turpin’s job to comfort Coen and that as a supposedly unbiased member of the media she had crossed a line.

“Nothing ‘awesome’ about fans/fake media doing stuff like that. It should be embarrassing for the people who credentialed her and her organization, and it’s a waste of time for those of us actually working,” Mark Long, a reporter from the Associated Press, commented.

“This reporter sounds incredibly sweet and thoughtful,” wrote ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “I can tell she comes from a place of love. But if one of us - her female peers - did this after a postseason game in 2007, we would not have been allowed back. Women have fought really hard to be in these spaces.”

A day after the internet went into a chaotic frenzy over a seemingly harmless kind message, Jones-Turpin shared her side of the story in an interview on a local Jacksonville news station.

“I don’t take no offense to [the criticism],” Jones-Turpin said. “Listen, I’ve been in this business more than 25 years. I’ve interviewed Barack Obama, Terry Bradshaw, [and] Tiger Woods. So he could say whatever he want about fake news.

“I am a member of the Black Press. NNPA, the National Newspaper [Publishers] Association that’s been around for more than 100 years,” continued Jones-Turpin. “I’m the associate editor of the Jacksonville Free Press, one of the more than 230 African-American newspapers still printing in this country today. ... Support the Black Press. You can call me fake all you want to, honey. I’ve been doing this a long time.”

Lynn Jones Turnpin responded to the critics in an interview today:

“Support the Black Press. You can call me fake all you want to, honey. I’ve been doing this a long time.” pic.twitter.com/qCqmdE5ozA

— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) January 12, 2026

She also explained why she chose to support Coen in that moment:

“Coach came out, and he was his emotions, he was totally immersed, his feelings. He had tears. He bit his lip. And the issue is the question, not necessarily a question in the fourth quarter, on the fourth down, and the punt came through, but my question was, ‘Keep your head up, young man,’” said Jones-Turpin.

Jones-Turpin’s latests comments probably won’t put the ever-consuming debate to bed, but she did deliver an emphatic clap-back to those on social media claiming she wasn’t a “real” journalist.

The Jaguars saw their season end against the Bills in a 27-24 home defeat but have plenty to look forward to after Coen’s impressive first year at the helm and head coaching debut. Coen helped lead Jacksonville to a 13-win season, brought out some of the best from quarterback Trevor Lawrence and rightfully should be proud of what he’s accomplished so far—if he ever needs a reminder, he knows who to talk to.

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