3 Observations on the Jaguars Officially Retaining Grant Udinski

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are set to retain offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, their first big win of 2026.

Udinski, who pulled his name out of running for the Cleveland Browns' head coaching job on Monday, was set to have two options for 2026: get the Buffalo Bills head coaching role or return to the Jaguars as offensive coordinator.

With the Bills hiring Joe Brady, Udinski is set to officially return to Liam Coen's staff. So, what does it mean moving forward? We give out our thoughts below.

Grant Udinski, Trevor Lawrence are Big Winners

There are two big winners from Udinski returning to the Jaguars' sidelines in 2026. One, of course, is Udinski. While getting a head coaching job would have been career-changing, Udinski didn't walk away from this empty-handed. Not only did he get a raise from the Jaguars as a part of them reaffirming his value to the franchise, but he also gets another year to add to his resume and potentially have a larger crop of jobs to interview for and choose from.

Then there is Lawrence, who sung Udinski's praises all season. The two got along swimmingly all season and Lawrence has publicly noted how much Udinski's coaching style and attention to detail benefitted him. With Udinski back, the Jaguars and their franchise quarterback will see their lives and set-up kept from being disturbed.

3 Teams That Make Sense for Udinski in 2027

With Udinski returning to the Jaguars in 2026, it seems likely that he will draw his fair share of suitors this time next year when another group of teams are looking for a new head coach. It remains to be seen which jobs could be open, but there are some appealing ones that Udinski could keep in mind.

Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn fired both coordinators, so it seems like he is on the hot seat and a coach like Udinski could have a chance to coach Jayden Daniels. There is also the Philadelphia Eagles if they make a move at head coach after their offense has crumbled. Finally, look out for the Cincinnati Bengals if Zac Taylor has another disappointing season.

Liam Coen's First 2026 Win Is One of His Most Important

liam coen, grant udinsk — Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, left listens on the headset as Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen call a play during the first quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Liam Coen just got his first win of the year, long before the Jaguars actually play their first game of the season. Coen's biggest potential hurdle this offseason was the fact that teams would come poking around for both of his coordinators, and it has been clear from the offset that retaining either of the coaches would be a big positive.

By retaining Udinski, Coen is able to put off the search for a new offensive coordinator for at least one more year. This will give him and Udinski both the chance to continue to build off of what they started to put together last season.

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