There are no sour grapes from Baker Mayfield when it comes to Liam Coen's departure.
The former Buccaneers offensive coordinator became Jacksonville's head coach on Jan. 24 to end a drama-filled week in which he initially pulled himself out of the running and returned to Tampa Bay on a new contract, only to then accept a second interview with Jacksonville and, subsequently, the job offer.
But despite all the back and forth, Mayfield gets it.
“I know people are gonna be upset about it, but for him, Ashley and their kids, you can’t argue with that decision," Mayfield said over the weekend at the Pro Bowl Games, via ESPN's Jenna Laine. "I can’t be mad at that. As much as I would want to have him still here, it is what it is. Life goes on, and I’m happy for him.”
It marks the second straight year Mayfield's OC has left for a head-coaching job, as the quarterback has journeyed back from the journeyman brink to become somewhat of a kingmaker since joining the Buccaneers in 2023.
Mayfield first revitalized his career under offensive coordinator Dave Canales, posting 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to reach his first Pro Bowl. Canales left for the Carolina Panthers, in came Coen, and Mayfield flourished all the more.
Under Coen, he shattered career highs set just the year prior, completing 71.4% of his throws for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns. He wasn't the lone benefactor, though. Coen also turned around a rushing operation that had laid dormant at 32nd in the NFL in each of the prior two seasons, helping Tampa Bay to the fourth-most rushing yards in the league.
The Bucs offense finished fourth in scoring and third in total yards.
Such success made Coen a hot commodity, and when opportunity knocked, he answered.
Mayfield, a former No. 1 overall pick who was adrift before finding a home in Tampa Bay, knows as well as anyone the NFL's fleeting nature. That can also be seen in former Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who was shortlisted for head-coaching jobs during last year's cycle, returned to Houston and was fired on the same day Jacksonville hired Coen.
Even in Tampa Bay, Byron Leftwich seemed to be a head coach in the making as the Bucs offensive coordinator from 2019-2022, but was also fired and has been without a job in the league since.
Jags fans will be hoping Mayfield serves as another example when it comes to Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville's own wayward former top draft pick.
Four seasons into his career, Lawrence has been up and down, stalling his rookie campaign under Urban Meyer before finding another gear in Year 2 with 4,113 yards and 28 TDs under Doug Pederson. Injuries and inconsistencies have plagued him afterward, causing his production to fall short of his $55 million-a-year price tag.
Just as he did for him, Mayfield is confident Coen can help untap more of Lawrence's potential.
“For Trevor, Liam taught the game of football to all our offensive guys," he said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. "He helped me out tremendously with pre-snap adjustments and being able to eliminate and process information quick. Trevor’s gonna have a guy that’s really gonna grow into him and lean into that and help him out. Not just on the field, but off the field, so I’m excited for Trevor."
Should Lawrence experience a jump -- and sustain it -- under Coen, the muddled process of getting their next head coach to Duval will be more than worth it for the Jaguars.