The Play That Sold Jaguars' Liam Coen on Jourdan Lewis

An interception made by Jourdan Lewis against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season is exactly what sold Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen.

Dec 22, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) celebrates after making an interception in the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

For new Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis, the standard for which he has already set himself is high enough to elevate the entire defense.

It is a standard that Lewis has played to throughout his entire NFL career, shaping himself into one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the NFL during a stellar eight-year stint with the Dallas Cowboys.

It is that same standard that first made Lewis stand out to new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen in 2024 as well, back when Lewis was still a core piece of the Cowboys' defense and Coen was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers new hot-shot offensive coordinator.

During a Week 15 26-24 Cowboys win over the Buccaners, it was Lewis who made a game-changing play that has stuck with Coen even since.

“Jourdan Lewis, man, he broke my heart last year. We’re going down to win and take the lead against Dallas last year, we throw a post to [Buccaneers WR] Jalen McMillan. It looks like we’ve got it, we’re going to take the lead or at least tie at that point," Coen said earlier this week at the annual league meetings.

"J-Mac [WR Jalen McMillan] has it, Jourdan takes it out at the last minute, and it ends up being an interception for a touchback. You’re just like, man, that’s who he is. That’s the way he competes. It’s to and through the whistle."

Fast-forward a few months and Lewis became one of the biggest pieces of the Jaguars' entire offseason. He was the first player the Jaguars' new regime agreed to terms with on the first day of the legal tampering period, and that does not feel accidental.

Everything Lewis brings to the franchise on and off the field matches what the Jaguars have said they are looking for in additions to the roster. Lewis proved with the Cowboys what kind of player he is, and that is why he is a Jaguar today.

"Those guys that do it like that at a high level and are able to communicate as well at a high level, those are the guys that we’re trying to bring in. He’s completely what we’re looking for and really excited to have him," Coen said.

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