A Jacksonville Jaguars season ended in heartbreak Sunday. What followed turned into something else entirely.
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This is an awesome post-game exchange between a reporter and Jaguars HC Liam Coen: pic.twitter.com/FwE8aRFaaR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2026
After Jaguars fell 27-24 to the Buffalo Bills in a wild-card loss at EverBank Stadium, head coach Liam Coen stepped to the podium expecting the usual postgame grind.
Instead, he got encouragement.
"How you doing today?" Lynn Jones of the Jacksonville Free Press began. "I just want to tell you, congratulations on your success young man. You hold your head up, alright? You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today. You just hold your head up, okay?
The room shifted. Coen smiled.
"Thank you, appreciate it," the first-year head coach said. "Thank you, ma'am."
The moment quickly went viral and sparked a sharp divide across sports media. Some praised the humanity of the exchange. Others questioned whether it crossed a professional line.
This reporter's message to Liam Coen following the Jags' Wild Card loss 🥹 pic.twitter.com/wq4yhG317y
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 11, 2026
Adam Schefter of ESPN called it "an awesome post-game exchange," a take that drew immediate pushback. Former ESPN journalist Jemele Hill pushed back hard.
"That can't be a reporter," Hill wrote. "Cause if so, I would not have used the term awesome."
Associated Press reporter Mark Long was even more direct, calling the moment "embarrassing" and saying it wasted time meant for real questions. ESPN reporter Brooke Pryor echoed that view, noting that postgame pressers exist to explain what happened and what comes next, not to console coaches.
That can’t be a reporter. Cause if so, I would not have used the term awesome. https://t.co/RVLDeAiFP5
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 12, 2026
But Jones also found strong support.
Will Brown of Jacksonville Today defended her, pointing to her long career and her role covering communities often overlooked by larger outlets. Sporting News editor Brian Schaible shared similar praise, calling Jones a constant source of positivity and noting her enthusiasm throughout the season.
Nothing “awesome” about fans/fake media doing stuff like that. It should be embarrassing for the people who credentialed her and her organization, and it’s a waste of time for those of us actually working. https://t.co/sP2vAEJYj4
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) January 11, 2026
Even the Jaguars leaned in. The team reposted the clip on its official social media account.
Meanwhile, the football part of the story still mattered. The Bills advanced behind quarterback Josh Allen, who sealed the win with a one-yard rushing touchdown with just over a minute remaining. It marked Buffalo's first road playoff win under head coach Sean McDermott.
Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdowns but also two interceptions in the loss.
"You've got to live with it," Lawrence said. "You don't get do-overs. It's a special group, and it hurts that we don't get to keep playing."
#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/2j94VSA965
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) January 11, 2026
The debate rolled into Sunday night. On ESPN, Scott Van Pelt addressed the controversy and took a different view.
"There's enough mean in the world," Van Pelt said. "That was nice. It's okay to be nice. Relax."
In the end, the Jaguars lost a playoff game. The league lost its usual script. And one unexpected moment turned into a conversation about what sports coverage is supposed to look like when the season ends and emotions are still raw.
