Lindsey Thiry
The Washington Commanders versus the Philadelphia Eagles: Two NFC East teams battling to go to the Super Bowl. It’s an outcome few could have predicted just a few months ago.
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After all, weren’t there rumblings about the job security of Eagles coach Nick Sirianni after a 2-2 start? That’s before quarterback
John Keim
ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, sitting on the bench, turned to a group of Detroit Lions fans heckling him Saturday, smiled and formed a heart with his hands. Washington had just been stopped on a fourth-and-1, and the Ford Field crowd was loud.
But all Daniels did, captured by WUSA-TV in Washington, was smile at them and form a heart with his hands and then deliver a 45-31 victory.
“I didn’t really say anything,” Daniels said. “I kind of let my play do the talking.”
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It’s that mindset Washington hopes results in a trip to the Super Bowl as Daniels will be playing in front of a Philadelphia fan base considered one of the most hostile in the NFL. The Commanders and Eagles play at 3 p.m. Sunday.
Daniels also is trying to become the first rookie quarterback to lead a team to the Super Bowl; five others have reached the championship game and lost. Daniels said earlier this week he wasn’t thinking about that, rather focusing on that day’s practice.
Nor is he worried about playing in another intense environment. After all, Washington has won its first two playoff games on the road. In those games, Daniels has thrown four touchdowns and no interceptions. He has an NFL-best 86.9 quarterback rating for the postseason.
Michael DiRocco
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars announced Friday that they have agreed to terms with Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen to be the team’s head coach. A source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that the deal is for five years.
The decision capped a two-day saga in which Coen pulled himself from consideration for the Jaguars job, then agreed to a contract extension with the Buccaneers that would have made him the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator, and then changed his mind after Jacksonville reached out to ask him to reconsider after it parted ways with general manager Trent Baalke on Wednesday afternoon.
“To repeat my message earlier this week, I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement. “I also believe in being judged by actions, not words. That’s why I took swift and decisive action this week to hire Liam Coen as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. I am pumped that Liam is accepting the challenge and opportunity to build the winner that Jaguars fans and partners fully deserve. I know our players feel the same.”
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Coen traveled to Jacksonville on Thursday afternoon and met with Khan and interim general manager Ethan Waugh. A source told ESPN’s Jenna Laine that Coen reached out to Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles earlier Thursday night to tell him about his renewed interest in the Jaguars’ job, but Coen did not speak with anyone else in the Bucs’ front office.
Michael DiRocco
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars and general manager Trent Baalke have parted ways, the team announced Wednesday — just hours after head coaching candidate Liam Coen decided to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“Following several discussions with Trent Baalke this week, we both arrived at the conclusion that it is in our mutual best interests to respectfully separate, effective immediately,” Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement.
“Trent leaves us with my deepest appreciation for his efforts over the past five seasons. Ethan Waugh will serve as interim general manager and play an important role, with others, as we continue the process of interviewing candidates to serve as our new head coach. I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville and look forward to introducing a new head coach who will make that happen for our players and fans alike.”
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Khan retained Baalke when he fired Doug Pederson on Jan. 6, saying that afternoon in a news conference that a complete organizational overhaul would be “suicide.” He also said that if any coaching candidate expressed reservations about the organizational structure or working with Baalke, he would be willing to address the topic.
