NFL reporter’s interaction with Jags coach draws | Sports News

Liam Coen’s postgame press convention turned out to be a divisive one after his interaction with a reporter went viral following the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defeat to the Buffalo Bills.

Just a day after the Chicago Bears’ beautiful 25-point fourth-quarter comeback in opposition to the Green Bay Packers, the Jaguars welcomed Buffalo to EverBank Stadium on Sunday, with Jacksonville getting into the competition on an eight-game successful streak.  However, late heroics from Bills quarterback Josh Allen and linebacker Shaq Thompson, who intercepted a Trevor Lawrence move to finish the sport, noticed Buffalo advance to the AFC Divisional Round with a 27-24 win.

While the Jaguars have been left devastated by the defeat, their 2025 marketing campaign was an unimaginable one. In the space of one season underneath Coen, Jacksonville went from 4-13 to 13-4, successful the AFC South within the course of.

Following the sport, Coen spoke to the media, the place Lynn Jones, an affiliate editor of the Jacksonville Free Press News provided up some sort phrases to the Jaguars head coach whereas he was standing on the podium. “I just want to tell you, congratulations on your success young man,” Jones informed Coen, to which he replied: “Thank you.”

She continued: “You hold your head up alright, you guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today, so you just hold your head up ok. Ladies and Gentlemen, Duval, you the one. You keep it going, we’ve got another season ok.”

While Coen appeared genuinely touched by the interaction, which ESPN’s Adam Schefter described as “awesome” in a post on X, different members of the media have been left pissed off with Jones’ feedback to the Jaguars head coach.

“Either be a reporter. Or be a fan. You can’t do both,” wrote AP reporter John Wawrow in response to the viral video of Jones’ feedback. “That can’t be a reporter,” added Jemele Hill.

MLB columnist Mike Harrington took challenge with Schefter’s description of the “awesome” interaction. “Awesome? Are you serious. That’s not a reporter. That person shouldn’t even have a credential. Schefter once was a real reporter. If he thinks this is cool, he’s totally lost his way.”

Brooke Pryor, who covers the Pittsburgh Steelers for ESPN, additionally agreed with Harrington’s sentiments. “Look, it’s a kind sentiment, but it’s not the job of a reporter to console a coach in a postgame press conference. Pressers are to ask questions to gain a better understanding of what happened or figure out what’s next — and do it in a limited amount of time.”

One particular person who got here to Jones’ protection was broadcaster Scott Van Pelt. Speaking on SportsMiddle, Van Pelt stated: “That turned into a whole big thing about media, I get it, that’s another conversation for another day.

“By the best way, I had no challenge with it in any respect. There’s enough imply on the planet. It’s okay to be good. ‘You’re not alleged to ask that query,’ calm down.”