Liam Coen's Reaction to Retaining Jaguars' Coordinators Says It All

The Jacksonville Jaguars got a major win earlier this offseason when they retained coordinators Grant Udinski and Anthony Campanile.

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski talk during the second quarter during an NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars started at square one when they first hit the field for their offseason program last year.

A new coaching staff led by head coach Liam Coen, a new front office, and in many ways, a new locker room. It was quite a different place from what they are now facing in 2026 after the retention of both defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski.

For Coen, the outcome the Jaguars got from the wild 2026 coaching carousel was one that they were always hoping for, largely because of the belief that continuity will lead to positive results.

Udinski Reacts to Campanile, Udinski

Speaking to CBS Sports' Pete Prisco during Super Bowl week, Coen noted that the return of both Udinski and Campanile should give the Jaguars the momentum they need to truly take off this offseason.

Jan 11, 2026; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen before an AFC Wild Card Round game against the Buffalo Bills at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

"You know, you hire young, first timers to have a runway, and then we end up having those guys get more interviews than I did. So they deserve it," Coen said.

"I'm very proud and fortunate to work with both Camp, Grant, and Heath Farwell man, another top five special teams unit this year. So to have that chemistry coming back this year, to have really sound solid three coordinators, I mean, that's huge for our continuity and chemistry, and so it allows our players and coaches to start faster this offseason without having to go back to square one."

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen speaks during a press conference at the Miller Electric Center, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Udinski received interest from two teams this offseason: the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills. Udinski was granted a second interview request with the Browns before bowing out of their search, while the Bills went in the direction of Joe Brady. Considering Udinski was getting offensive coordinator interviews a year ago, his jump to head coach interviews are a clear sign of his trajectory.

Then there is Campanile, who received interviews with the Miami Dolphins and Batimore Ravens. He was also a finalist for the Arizona Cardinals job before withdrawing his name after he and Udinski received new deals from the Jaguars.

Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA;Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile stands on the field during pregame warmups against the New York Jets at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | Travis Register-Imagn Images

The Jaguars and Coen knew they were hiring ascending coaches in Udinski and Campanile when they added them to the equation. It would have been hard for anyone to predict that each would get multiple head coach interviews after just one season.

But that is what happened. Coen and the Jaguars are big winners for keeping each coordinator on the staff, but the reality is that this will be a short-term solution if the Jaguars continue to win games.

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