‘Barked back’ – Trevor Lawrence spat with Liam Coen and trade fueled best Jaguars season since 1999

The Jacksonville Jaguars will head into the 2026 offseason very optimistic about their future.

After clinching only their second AFC South title in franchise history with a 13-4 record – their best since 1999 – the Jaguars fell just shy of winning their first playoff game since the 2022 campaign.

Getty

The 2025 NFL season marked the first under Liam Coen, who has spearheaded the turnaround in fortune of a talented Jaguars squad.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence had one of the best campaigns of his five-year pro career to date, throwing for 4,007 passing yards and a career-high 29 touchdowns, though he also fired 12 interceptions.

He also tacked on an additional 359 rushing yards and nine scores, both of which are also career-bests.

Not a bad turnaround for a man who was initially branded as ‘a broken quarterback‘ whose monster $275 million contract was deemed a vast overpay.

In an exclusive sit-down conversation with talkSPORT’s viral commentary sensation Will Gavin at Super Bowl LX‘s radio row, Coen gave a greater insight into his relationship with the Pro Bowl QB, having followed his journey up through high school, the collegiate level at Clemson and to the NFL.

“I was fortunate enough to watch him play a high school football game. I was there recruiting a different player and he was there,” Coen exclusively told talkSPORT’s Gavin.

“He was playing a playoff game his freshman year. So I was able to watch that. I saw what that looked like and followed his career.

“Then to be able to see him truly take it on this year. It clicked. At some point it clicked and we had to work through some stuff.

“But I was so proud of the way that he prepared each week. The way that he came to work every day, and then Sundays man, especially when his legs started to get moving, he became a different dude for us.”

Coen explains that spat with Lawrence

But it wasn’t initially all smooth sailing between Coen and Lawrence, with the two seen going at it on the sideline early on in the season.

Getty

talkSPORT

In the Week 2 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Coen and Lawrence were seen getting into it with each other after the quarterback missed a potential touchdown throw.

Coen explained what happened in more detail and admitted that he loved the fiery attitude of the 26-year-old star.

“We went at it a few times in training camp before that even happened,” Coen explained to talkSPORT.

“We had a couple exchanges that you know, he barked back at me and I was like ‘Good. Yes we need this.’

“Like that’s how you work through things. You work through reads, you work through footwork, you work through decisions.

“It’s an emotional football game, a lot gets put into it every single week. So there is gonna be times where that stuff happens.

talkSPORT

“I truly think that he knows that I care about him and that we want the best for him, and I know that he trusts us. I do.”

Jakobi Meyers trade altered the Jags’ entire season

Despite already having wide receivers Parker Washington and Brian Thomas Jr., as well as making the bold move to trade up to No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL draft to secure two-way superstar prospect Travis Hunter, the offense was still lacking something.

A late acquisition of wide receiver Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline from the Las Vegas Raiders — a week before Hunter was ruled out for the season with injury — is what Coen heavily attributes to sparking the stark turnaround on offense.

“Day one of practice that Jakobi came in that our offense changed, and everybody saw it. That was the beauty of it,” Coen told talkSPORT.

“It wasn’t just like we kind of saw it but the players didn’t see it yet. Literally the first day he came in we threw and caught the ball better than we had all season.

“So it was very clear that the middle of the field opened up drastically.”

Getty

Getty

Coen also discussed how Meyers’ mere presence on the field opened up opportunities for the rest of Lawrence’s offensive weapons.

“Now Brian Thomas Jr. is allowed to go do what he does best – go down the field vertically, play on the outside and do some of that stuff,” he added.

“Parker Washington – now he’s able to do what he does best. Catch and run. Tough. Smart. Dependable. Reliable.

“Brenton Strange – now he’s able to go do what he does best, and [Travis] Etienne. So it really helped complement the group very well and Jakobi is a pro’s pro. He blocks with the best of them as well.

“You don’t block you don’t block you don’t get the rock.”

The Jaguars went 8-1 with Meyers on the field as he finished fourth in receiving yards with 483 and three touchdowns in his nine outings.

With renovations planned for EverBank Stadium dubbed the $1.4 billion ‘stadium of the future’ due to commence shortly, Jacksonville is well on their way to attempting to establish themselves alongside some of the NFL’s powerhouses.

The future is certainly very bright under Coen, Lawrence & Co.

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.