Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach hired by Liam Coen to join Jaguars staff

Liam Coen has finally succeeded at poaching a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff.

Collin Haalboom | Feb 6, 2025

Liam Coen answers media questions after speaking and being introduced as the new Jacksonville Jaguars head coach during a press conference Monday, Jan. 27, 2025 at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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If at first you don't succeed, try, try, and try again..

That's exactly what has happened with Liam Coen and the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags have been relentless in their quest to recruit members of the Buccaneers coaching staff and front office to head north to Duval County and join Coen as he assembles his staff as a first time head coach.

In recent weeks, the Jaguars' have been denied requests to interview a variety of Buccaneers coaches including offensive line coach Kevin Carberry and assistant offensive line coach Brian Picucci.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht talks to the media at the 2024 NFL Combine.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht talks to the media. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

More recently, the Jaguars requested to interview Jason Licht's assistant GM Mike Greenberg for their vacant general manager position. The Buccaneers couldn't block that request, as it would be a clear promotion for a front office executive. Thankfully for Tampa Bay, Greenberg quickly withdrew his name from consideration, instead choosing to remain with the Bucs in his current role.

Jacksonville clearly wasn't deterred from their objective, though, as it was reported on Thursday that Coen is hiring Buccaneers' tight ends coach, John Van Dam.

The #Jaguars are hiring John Van Dam as pass game specialist, source said. He previously held the same title and has been TEs coach for the #Bucs.

It’s the first hire of a Tampa Bay coach by Liam Coen, as Van Dam had allowed his contract to expire.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 6, 2025

Van Dam has been with the Buccaneers for the past five seasons, first serving as an offensive quality control coach before being promoted to assistant tight ends coach before eventually taking over as Tampa Bay's tight ends coach in 2022.

Van Dam has some versatile experience having worked under Bruce Arians, Byron Leftwich, Dave Canales, and Liam Coen during his time with the Bucs. He was on the coaching staff when the team won their second every Lombardi Trophy with Tom Brady in 2020.

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Published Feb 6, 2025

COLLIN HAALBOOM

Prior to joining BucsGameday and Sports Illustrated, Collin's written content was provided through Bucs Banter, and NFL Draft Lounge. He is also the creator and host of the Bucs Banter Podcast. He is a graduate of the Communication Studies program at McMaster University, where he was also a varsity basketball player, and later an advanced scout. He lives with his wife and two children in Hamilton, ON. You can follow Collin on YouTube and Twitter.