Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield 'Loves' New Coach Liam Coen's System
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made possibly their biggest move of the offseason hiring coach Liam Coen to be the team's new offensive coordinator and almost immediately observers started drawing a direct line between hiring him and retaining quarterback Baker Mayfield in the near future.
It turns out that Buccaneers connection didn't have to stretch far to be made, and Mayfield took a moment during the NFL Pro Bowl Game festivities to talk about the new hire.
"I think he's great for us. Love the system," Mayfield said in a media session captured by PewterReport. "Obviously, going to L.A. and then playing under (former Bucs offensive coordinator) Dave (Canales) in a similar system, I love how it's called, I love just the approach of it, how the run sets up the pass and everything like that...You can give different complex looks to trick a defense. Liam, he's smart in how he wants to approach it. He's got the mindset of he's a hard worker, he's really passionate about it, and that energy - guys feed off that."
Coen spent 2023 coordinating the Kentucky Wildcats' offense after doing the same job for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
Before that, he was the offensive coordinator for the Wildcats in 2021 as well as an assistant coach with the Rams from 2018-2020.
It's not the most conventional coaching path we've witnessed, but then Mayfield isn't the most conventional quarterback either.
The two first worked together that year Coen was the offensive coordinator in Los Angeles after being traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Carolina Panthers and then later granted his release.
Together the two had an explosive debut on Thursday Night Football and by many measures may have saved Mayfield's career to a certain degree.
Now, the franchise that took the chance not many wanted them to is reuniting the quarterback with the coordinator that helped facilitate that path.
Assuming Tampa Bay and Mayfield get a deal done, that is.
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