Top Eight Candidates To Be The Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach In 2025

January 10, 2025

Who could be the next head coach of the Jacksonville Jagaurs? Mike Fanelli dives into the team's top eight candidates.

While 14 NFL teams are fighting for the right to be called Super Bowl champions, 18 teams have turned their attention to the offseason. One of those non-playoff teams is the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars finished third in the AFC South division with a 4-13 record, winning only one more game than the Tennessee Titans. Jacksonville fired head coach Doug Pederson after three years with the team, going 22-29 with the franchise.

According to the team’s website, the Jaguars have requested interviews with eight potential candidates. Let’s dive into the eight candidates who could become the team’s next head coach.

Liam Coen

Coen is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator. He has been with the team for only one season. However, the offensive coordinator helped Baker Mayfield have a career year in 2024. Coen has spent the past few years between the University of Kentucky and the Los Angeles Rams as the teams’ offensive coordinator.

While he can’t get hired until after the Buccaneers are eliminated from the playoffs, Coen is the betting favorite to become the Jaguars’ next head coach. Jacksonville’s offense wasn’t awful in 2024. However, Trevor Lawrence hasn’t lived up to his massive contract extension. Maybe Coen can help him like he did Mayfield this season.

Major odds shift for Jaguars HC since yesterday:

Liam Coen (-300)
Ben Johnson (+150)
Joe Brady (+500)
Mike Vrabel (+900)
Kliff Kingsbury (10/1)
Anthony Weaver (14/1)
Jon Gruden (20/1)
Aaron Glenn (20/1)
Todd Monken (20/1)
Brian Flores (20/1)
Bobby Slowik (20/1)#DUUUVAL https://t.co/KFz6EEobgg

— Jaime Eisner (@JaimeEisner) January 7, 2025

Joe Brady

The Buffalo Bills offense has played well under Joe Brady. He took over at the mid-way point of the 2022 season after the team fired Ken Dorsey. Buffalo had one of the top offenses in the NFL over the past year and a half despite a lack of big-name playmakers in the passing game.

Having Josh Allen under center will make any offensive coordinator look good. However, Brady has had success at other stops in his coaching career. He was the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach for the 2019 LSU team that won the Nation Championship with Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. Fantasy players hope Brady could have similar success with Brian Thomas Jr.

Aaron Glenn

There might not be a hotter head coaching candidate in the cycle than Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. However, the team’s other coordinator is the next hottest head coaching candidate. Glenn has led an impressive Lions defense this year despite losing several key starters to season-ending injuries, including Aidan Hutchinson to a broken fibula in Week 6.

Unfortunately, Hutchinson wasn’t the only significant injury on Detroit’s defense this season. Yet, Glenn turned the Lions into the seventh-best scoring defense in the NFL. He has an interview set with the Jaguars on Saturday. While the team might have to wait a few weeks, either Detroit coordinator would make for an excellent head coaching candidate in Jacksonville.

Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn will interview with the @NYJets tomorrow, the @Saints on Friday (as we said previously), and then the @Jaguars and @ChicagoBears on Saturday. Glenn's become one of the hottest names on the market—and rightfully so.

More ⤵️⤵️⤵️

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 8, 2025

Patrick Graham

Graham has bounced around the league in his 16 years in the NFL, coaching for five teams. He started with the New England Patriots, filling various coaching roles from 2009-2015. Graham began as a general coaching assistant before finishing as the team’s linebackers coach. He went on to join the New York Giants in 2016, spending two seasons with the team.

After one-year stops with the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins, Graham returned to the Giants for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He has spent the past three years with the Las Vegas Raiders as their defensive coordinator. Graham has experience coaching both sides of the ball, working as a tight ends coach in 2005 and 2006 at the University of Richmond.

Ben Johnson

Every team with an open head coaching job will have Johnson at the top of their list. The Detroit Lions offensive coordinator is viewed by many as the next Sean McVay. He was the most popular candidate last offseason. However, Johnson returned to the Lions after the team lost in the NFC Championship game. Many believe he will take a head coaching job this offseason.

However, I wouldn’t rule out a return to Detroit if the Lions don’t win the Super Bowl. The young offensive coordinator is one of the most creative play-callers in the NFL. He has spent the past six years with the franchise, spending the past two as the offensive coordinator. The Jaguars will meet with Johnson on Saturday, hoping he agrees to become their next head coach.

Sources: #Lions OC Ben Johnson — the top candidate in this year’s cycle — is scheduled to interview with four teams and has set up virtual meetings as follows:

- Raiders & Patriots on Friday

- Bears & Jaguars on Saturday pic.twitter.com/qO1VZKCZSl

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 8, 2025

Todd Monken

Many believe the Jaguars need to hire an offensive-minded head coach to get the best out of Trevor Lawrence. The former No. 1 overall pick has regressed after a career year in 2022. Monken has been the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator for the past two years after having that role with the Georgia Bulldogs in 2020 through 2022.

Baltimore’s offensive coordinator has gotten the best out of Lamar Jackson. The superstar won the MVP award in 2023 and could win it again this season. Monken also led an elite Georgia offense over the past few years. With six years as an NFL offensive coordinator on his resume, Monken should get a head coaching job this offseason or the next.

Kellen Moore

After an elite college career at Boise State, totaling over 14,600 passing yards in 53 games, Moore had a brief NFL career. He played three games during the 2015 season with the Dallas Cowboys, totaling 779 passing yards and four touchdowns. While his playing career was limited, Moore has been one of the top offensive coordinators since getting into coaching.

The former Boise State started his coaching career as the Cowboys quarterback coach in 2018 before taking over as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2019 until he left after the 2022 season.

Moore spent the 2023 season as the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator before earning the same role with the Philadelphia Eagles last year. The Jaguars also had interest in Moore back in 2022 before hiring Doug Pederson.

The Jaguars requested permission to interview Kellen Moore.

The Jags were also interested in Moore in 2022.

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) January 7, 2025

Robert Saleh

Saleh was fired earlier this season as the New York Jets’ head coach. Many around the league were shocked by the decision and felt it was the wrong move. Saleh spent 3.5 years with the Jets, finishing with a 20-36 record. However, New York never solved their quarterback problem, giving him no chance of succeeding.

While he is far from guaranteed a new head coaching job this offseason, many believe Saleh will be back on the sidelines calling the shots in 2025. If he doesn’t land a job as a head coach, Saleh will be a popular defensive coordinator candidate. Reportedly, Mike Vrabel wants him as his defensive coordinator if he becomes the New England Patriots head coach.

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