Who Is At Helm? Diving Into Florida’s NFL Coaches
The trio of Florida NFL teams have all experienced some turnover during this past offseason. Whether on the field or in the front office, the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers look slightly, or even entirely, different from just eight months ago.
Jacksonville Jaguars – Liam Coen
The Jaguars may take the cake in this category. Not only do they have a new coach, but a new offensive and defensive coordinator as well. Liam Coen is in his first year with the Jags after parting ways with the Buccaneers in January. This will be Coen’s first stint as a head coach, most recently serving as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator.
The Jaguars finished last season with a 4-13 record, the worst result the team has seen since falling to 3-14 in 2021. The team drafted quarterback Trevor Lawrence out of Clemson ahead of that disappointing season. Lawrence is now entering his fifth year in the NFL and will have the offensive-minded coach who he has been needing.
The Jags hired Coen after he helped the Bucs offense explode in 2024. Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers finished in the top five of the NFL in total offense (399.6 yards) and scoring (29.5) per game.
The immediate success Coen sparked could be drawn from what led up to his time in Tampa. He was the Los Angeles Rams’ assistant wide receivers coach under offensive guru and Rams coach Sean McVay.
“The fact that McVay hired him twice (2018-20 and again in 2022) was notable because he wouldn’t have brought him back if he didn’t think he was a good coach, could relate to the players and had a good offensive mind,” said Michael DiRocco, NFL Nation reporter at ESPN. “Owner Shad Khan made it clear he wanted an offensive coach because fixing Trevor Lawrence is the franchise’s top priority, and after Ben Johnson Coen seemed to be the best option.”
Jaguars – Coordinators
Aside from the addition of Coen to the coaching staff, the Jags went all in across the board. New offensive coordinator Grant Udinski and defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile will look to turn the Jags around for the 2025-26 season.
Udinski played a major role for the Minnesota Vikings from 2022-2024 as the team’s assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach. He helped the Vikings to two playoff appearances in four years.
Campanile was most recently with the Green Bay Packers, who made the playoffs and ranked fifth among teams in total defense last season.
“The players seem to really like [Campanile],” DiRocco said. “Campanile’s defense relies more heavily on zone coverage, which I think is a better fit for the personnel the Jaguars have.”
Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins concluded last season with an 8-9 record, their worst since 2019. The team did not experience a fire sale such as the Jags, but there was speculation that something similar could happen last January. Coach Mike McDaniel is heading into his fourth season with the team, after signing an extension that will keep him at the helm through 2028.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier was again under fire following the conclusion of last season. While being with the organization since 2000, Grier was promoted to GM in 2016. The team has yet to win a playoff game since his first year with the Dolphins, making it one of the longest playoff win droughts in NFL history.
After finishing the 2024 season third in the AFC East, the team looked to the offseason and training camp for changes. McDaniel has tried to change the ways of the Dolphins.
“This entire offseason were the words that we’ve all heard at nausea is the word culture,” said Seth Levit, co-host of The Fish Tank Podcast. “There was a belief that this team and its culture kind of lost its way.”
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After Coen departed for Jacksonville, John Grizzard became offensive coordinator. The previous pass game coordinator enters his second year with the organization and has some large shoes to fill.
While Coen called the plays, Grizzard played a major role in developing Mayfield. He helped the team’s passing game become one of the most efficient in the league, finishing second in completion percentage.
Also, coach Todd Bowles and general manager Jason Licht both signed multi-year extensions this past offseason.
Bowles took over as defensive coordinator in 2019, then was promoted to head coach after three seasons. Licht has been at the forefront of the organization since 2014.
Under their control, the Bucs have won the NFC South in each of the last four years and made the postseason in five consecutive seasons. Licht helped the Bucs win the Super Bowl in 2021.
The NFL Florida trio has all seen massive changes of their own over the last eight months. Now, the teams will be on full display Sunday during Week 1 of the season.
The Jaguars will host the Carolina Panthers and can be seen on FOX. The Dolphins travel to take on the Colts on CBS. The Bucs will take on the Falcons in Atlanta on FOX. All games will kick off at 1 p.m.
Category: Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
