Why Liam Coen Might Never Win Coach of the Year

Liam Coen has had a stellar year in his first go-around with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Not only was this his first season with the team, but it's his first as an NFL head coach in general. Despite his lack of experience, he has his Jaguars sitting at 12-4, atop the AFC South, with a strong chance to host a postseason game.

That kind of performance deserves recognition. While Coen has gotten his flowers as of late, he unfortunately ran into a crowded Coach of the Year race, currently led by the New England Patriots' Mike Vrabel in betting odds. It's natural to think that Coen will have plenty of time to win the award eventually, but that just might not be the case.

San Francisco 49ers, NFL, Jacksonville Jaguars, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan — Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan during the second quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

What makes for a Coach of the Year?

Liam Coen isn't just having a great year with the Jacksonville Jaguars — he's put together a literally historic campaign. He's the first person in league history to take over a team with four wins in the previous year and lead them to 12 victories as a first-time head coach. And yet, he's currently just fourth in Coach of the Year odds, listed at +1,200 on FanDuel. The San Francisco 49ers' Kyle Shanahan is second at +150. Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab made the case:

"Shanahan is having a remarkable season. He has navigated injuries to Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Nick Bosa and Fred Warner to put his team one win away from the No. 1 seed in the NFC... That’s not usually how Coach of the Year is decided, strangely enough. The award typically goes to a coach who exceeds preseason expectations the most — like preseason predictions are never wrong — and it often goes to a first-year coach."

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, San Francisco 49ers, Head Coach Liam Coen — Sep 28, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen reacts from the sidelines during the second half against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Liam Coen should be the Coach of the Year

Schwab might not know it, but he was actually making the case for why Liam Coen should be the runaway favorite for Coach of the Year. The Jaguars might not have dealt with injuries the same way the Niners have, but they've had to navigate extended absences from several of their starters, including EDGE Travon Walker, left tackle Walker Little, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and now nickelback Jourdan Lewis.

Mike Macdonald
Mike Vrabel
Liam Coen
Kyle Shanahan
Ben Johnson

Hard to recall a more deserving Coach of the Year field. All have earned it.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) December 29, 2025

Jacksonville is tied with San Francisco at 12-4 and holds the head-to-head victory over the Niners, with Brock Purdy and Fred Warner suiting up and Travon Walker out, at that. The Jaguars could also wind up as the No. 1 seed in the conference. And Coen is a first-year head coach, not just with the team, but in his career!

If it's boiled down to preseason expectations, plenty of people thought the Patriots had a chance to make the postseason, bolstered by a Charmin-soft schedule. No one thought the Jaguars could win 13 games this year. Expectations for Coen will never be as low as they were this past offseason again. All of that begs the question: If Liam Coen can't win Coach of the Year this season, will he ever?

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