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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are reportedly planning to hire former Los Angeles Rams and current University of Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen for the same position, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport.
The reported move could potentially reunite Coen, 38, with Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, who is set to become a free agent this offseason.
"The #Buccaneers are working on a deal to hire Liam Coen as their new offensive coordinator, sources tell me and @RapSheet. After bouncing between the #Rams and Kentucky the last six years, Coen likely heads to Tampa for a possible reunion with pending free agent Baker Mayfield," Garafolo said.
Mayfield, who is representing the Bucs in the Pro Bowl this week, told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe that the team was aware "that we've got to know who's calling plays before anything's done" while discussing his upcoming free agency status.
Mayfield made four starts and appeared in five games under Coen after being traded to the Rams midway through the 2022 season, which included going 1-3 and throwing for 850 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions on 364 of 566 passing. The former No. 1 overall pick experienced a career resurgence during his lone season with the Bucs in 2023, throwing for career-best 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns while winning the NFC South Division title with a 9-8 overall regular season record.
Coen has split the past six seasons between the Rams and Wildcats, initially joining the NFL staff in 2018 as an assistant wide receivers coach in 2020 and being promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach in 2020. The Rhode Island native spent one season as Kentucky's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021 before re-joining the Rams as an offensive coordinator in 2022 and returning to Kentucky as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2023.