With gambling headlines dominating the sports world after a string of NBA arrests, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Liam Coen isn't taking any chances.
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As his Jaguars prepare to face the Las Vegas Raiders this weekend, Coen made it clear that his team's trip to Sin City will be all business.
"This is a business trip," Coen said Wednesday, via a team transcript. "We should have absolutely zero issues with that. But I understand and appreciate the seriousness of it all. It's real. It's happening in our world. The fantasy, the betting, all of it. It's a big deal in our world."
Coen said he first addressed the team on Monday and plans to go over it again before the team leaves on Friday. He told players to steer clear of any temptation. That includes casinos, sportsbooks, and even restaurant areas attached to gambling spaces.
"Don't even go have dinner in there, guys," Coen warned. "Let's just stay away. We got great food in our area here. Let's just stay away from all that."
While some NFL coaches, like Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, brushed off the gambling discussion as more of an "offseason issue," Coen isn't leaving anything to interpretation.
The Jaguars plan to arrive early in Las Vegas, practice locally, and avoid distractions altogether.
It's the team's second straight year playing in Vegas — the Raiders won last season's matchup 19-14 — but this time, Coen is making sure the focus stays between the lines, not on the casino floor.
