Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Head Coach Liam Coen Have Tense Exchange
In the heat of battle, things get said. Helmets get thrown. Clipboards meet their maker. But a quarterback waving off his coach on national television? Now that’s some spicy stuff. And it’s exactly what we saw from Trevor Lawrence during the Jacksonville Jaguars’ gut-wrenching 31-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Let’s set the scene. It’s the fourth quarter, with just over four minutes on the clock. The Jags are clinging to a three-point lead and driving. On second-and-goal, Lawrence misses a throw to Wide Receiver Dyami Brown. From the sideline, Head Coach Liam Coen went ballistic. Cameras caught him gesturing wildly, basically screaming at Lawrence to throw the ball to the receiver’s body, not over his head.
And Lawrence? He gave him the hand. A casual, dismissive little wave, like shooing away a fly at a barbecue. It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but in the high-stakes world of the NFL, it was a soap opera unfolding in real-time.
Lawrence and Coen: A Fiery Sideline Spat
Eye-popping moment between #Jaguars HC Liam Coen and QB Trevor Lawrence:pic.twitter.com/FVyh4ZvHfa
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 14, 2025
After the game, Coen tried to pour water on the fire, admitting he was “pissed” but chalking it up to the emotion of the game. “It is what it is,” Coen said. “That’s emotion. It’s not personal ever. That’s just kind of me getting worked up.”
He even followed it up with a compliment sandwich, praising Lawrence for a “dime” he threw on the very next play. “He’s pretty even-keeled, which is good for me. I need that,” Coen said, maybe with a hint of irony.
Lawrence, for his part, played it cool. He acknowledged his coach’s passion, saying Coen has actually brought more fire out of him, which he thinks is a good thing for the offense. “I’ve kind of fed off of him and there’s times we get excited and get fired up,” Lawrence said.
So, is it just two intense competitors getting into it, or is there trouble in paradise in Jacksonville? It’s only Week 2, a bit early to hit the panic button. But seeing your franchise quarterback give the “talk to the hand” gesture to his new head coach is not ideal.
Was This the Moment the Jaguars’ Game Slipped Away?
To make matters worse, the whole exchange preceded a complete meltdown. The Jaguars went for it on fourth down, and Lawrence’s next pass, perfectly placed this time, bounced right off Brian Thomas Jr.’s hands. Turnover on downs. The Bengals, led by their backup quarterback, then marched down the field and scored the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds left. A brutal finish for the Jags.
While both Lawrence and Coen are downplaying the spat, you have to wonder. This kind of discord, especially so early in a season with a new coaching staff, can be a symptom of bigger problems. For now, they’re saying all the right things. But the cameras don’t lie. And what they showed was a moment of frustration that speaks volumes, even if nobody wants to admit it.
