Report: Ben Johnson, Liam Coen HC Interview Requested by Jaguars After Pederson Fired

The Jacksonville Jaguars are reportedly eyeing some of the top offensive minds in the NFL as they search for a new head coach to replace Doug Pederson.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Jaguars requested to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen.

Johnson and Coen are among the top head coaching candidates this hiring cycle thanks to their stellar track records this season. The Lions ranked second in the NFL with 409.5 total yards per game and the Bucs were right behind them in third with 399.5 total yards per game.

Jacksonville is hoping to find a coach who can help improve an offensive unit that ranked 25th in the league with 305.8 yards per game. Star quarterback Trevor Lawrence was limited to 10 games due to a shoulder injury and a concussion, and receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis, and tight end Evan Engram also suffered season-ending injuries that contributed to the team's offensive woes.

The Jaguars fired Pederson on Monday after finishing the 2024 season with a 4-13 record. Team owner Shad Khan chose to retain general manager Trent Baalke for the 2025 season but told reporters during a Zoom call that if a coaching candidate has reservations about working with Baalke, he would be willing to address the issue.

"What we want to do is for them to have an environment where they're going to be successful and they say, 'I want my own quarterback, I want my own health and wellness, I want my own doctors,'" Khan said. "I would want to really go through that in depth because if we can get better ... and if they have reservations, I would want to address them honestly and openly because our goal is they need to be successful. What do we have to give them to be successful?"

The Jaguars have a ton of talented pieces on offense around Lawrence, so landing a coach of Johnson or Coen's caliber will help get them back to playoff contention in 2025 and beyond.