Former Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen, now head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, did his best Will Smith impression after the Jaguars traveled west and upset the San Francisco 49ers, handing them their first loss of the season. It’s easy to forget that just two years ago Kentucky had an NFL head coach on its sideline, but they did, and now Coen’s name is front-and-center in the pros.
Accusations spark sideline tension
Tension began earlier in the week when 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh publicly accused Coen’s staff of using a “really advanced signal-stealing type system” that gave Jacksonville an advantage. Coen downplayed the comments before the game, saying the Jaguars were focused on the task at hand.
"Keep my name out of your mouth"
After the 26–21 win, emotions boiled over though. According to ESPN, Coen confronted Saleh and said among other things, “Keep my name out of your mouth.” Will Smith at the Oscars anyone? Saleh answered with an expletive-laced threat: “I will [expletive] your world up.” Yeesh. See the video below:
“Keep my name out of your mouth,”
— BrentDanStuartMarcelAlivia (@ActionSportsJax) September 29, 2025
Liam Coen and Robert Saleh exchange after Jaguars win. Saleh used the phrase “legal sign stealing” in news conference last week in reference to Coen. pic.twitter.com/yYcjm1oHIP
It is not very often that you see two coaches have to be separated after a game, let alone a head coach and a former head coach who is now a defensive coordinator. But that is exactly what happened here.
Coen earns win, and his players' respect
Former Kentucky standout Josh Hines-Allen praised Coen’s overall composure:
“I’m actually excited that he kind of kept his composure throughout the game… and then, at the last minute, ‘Hey, do what you’ve got to do.’”
Coen did what he needed to do on Sunday, he took his team across the country and helped Jacksonville win behind a game-changing punt-return touchdown by Parker Washington. Coen is 3–1 as an NFL head coach and appears to have Jacksonville trending in the right direction, even as his old boss Mark Stoops faces mounting pressure back in Lexington.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion