Few press conferences following an NFL playoff loss are remembered as positively as the one after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills last year.
Jaguars head coach Liam Coen had been sharing his disappointment with the loss and his desire for the city to be proud of its team when Jacksonville Free Press associate editor Lynn Jones-Turpin spoke. Instead of asking a question, Jones-Turpin used the opportunity to compliment Coen on the job he’d done in his first season at the helm and how much support he and the Jaguars had from the community.
“I’m going to tell you, congratulations on your success, young man,” Jones-Turpin told him. “You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today. You just hold your head up, OK? Ladies and gentlemen, Duval. You keep it going. We got another season.”
The comments sparked a debate about journalistic standards and press conference etiquette, leading to a backlash against sports journalists who had complained. Eventually, the consensus was that Jones-Turpin’s comments were a lovely example of kindness in a business that often doesn’t have room for such a thing.
The Pivot podcast was in the Jaguars’ camp this week and sat down with Coen to discuss the upcoming NFL season. As part of that conversation, co-host Ryan Clark brought up Jones-Turpin’s comments and asked the head coach how they made him feel.
After Jacksonville’s playoff loss, Liam Coen was visibly dejected when Lynn Jones-Turpin offered him words of encouragement and appreciation.
What became a viral moment was, for Coen, a reminder that he’d made a difference—and that good people still genuinely want to see you… pic.twitter.com/qZuDZosPFa
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 15, 2026
“You’re at the podium, and you said something earlier about you wanted this city to be able to be proud of this team. Jones-Turpin says that to you. And it becomes this whole debate,” Clark said to Coen. “And I don’t want to talk about that. I want to talk about being in that space of loss and hurt and having someone from the Jacksonville community say that about you. How much did that matter in that moment for you?”
“Pride,” replied Coen. “Like you have pride for what you do. You have pride for maybe the impact you’ve had and the connection and relationship of maybe how people view this team and this organization in our community and where we live. I live here, you know, like you’re a part of it.
“And to feel that— and I had no clue it went where it went. I drove home with [my wife] Ashley after the game. I have no clue. Get home with family, hanging out, pretty bummed, obviously in a tough spot. And Ashley’s like, ‘She’s like, hey, this is kind of going out, going wild.’ I’m like, oh, here I go again. And, but I didn’t know, but then you, I didn’t know what it was. She didn’t mention what it was.
“I think there’s a lot of negative stuff in our world. It’s tough; it’s hard when you turn on the TV, and you talk about things. And, you know, I thought it was just a pretty cool moment that you felt maybe people are really good, right? There are really good people out there. And regardless of the moment, like, I think humanity is important. That’s really cool.”
A lot of people are looking forward to seeing Jones-Turpin back at Jaguars press conferences this season, hoping that Jacksonville can feel even prouder of Coen and their NFL squad.
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