Louis Rees-Zammit's potential new boss just laid out his 'exciting' vision for the future
The new Jacksonville Jaguars head coach has spoken for the first time since taking over from Doug Pederson.
If Louis Rees-Zammit re-signs as a Jaguars player ahead of the 2025/2026 season, then Liam Coen will be his new boss. Pederson was fired at the beginning of the year, following a very disappointing season where they failed to make the play-offs.
The former Wales rugby winger is currently a free agent, after Jaguars let his contract expire with them and did not offer him a 'futures contract', which would have tied him to the club ahead of the next season.
READ MORE: Gabby Logan 'emotional' as son makes big change after husband Kenny hid true feelings
READ MORE: Three Welsh regions have defied the gloom but Dragons are cut adrift
However, there have been reports that Rees-Zammit has in fact been offered a deal with the Jaguars to continue his NFL journey, but those reports have not yet been confirmed. You can read more about that here. At present he is believed to be weighing up his options.
Should Rees-Zammit put pen to paper and pursue his American football dream, then Coen will be at the very centre of his journey. There were a few key takeaways from the new Jags boss' press conference, particularly special teams, and his vision for the future.
"Everybody needs a coach, everybody needs a player - we need each other," explained Coen. "I am so looking forward to doing this collaboratively with them. There's so many good things - you've got a rookie wide receiver that you can do a ton with. You've got two running backs that you can do so many good things with. And a defence that - 'We can go!'- we've just got to put them in some of the better positions to be successful and I think we can do that.
"Special teams. What a great shining spot for you guys this year. We've got to continue to do that and be special on special teams. There's so many good things about this roster, and like we mentioned before - the future. The next few years. That's truly what's exciting as well."
While at the Kansas City Chiefs, Rees-Zammit was deployed on special teams during their pre-season games and during training. With the new kick-off rule in American football, it provided the Welshman with the opportunity to excel in a scenario very similar to rugby - catching a kick-off and running into broken field.
His roles were varied, featuring as a kick returner, a kicker, a member of the punt coverage team and running back. However, he has now changed his preferable position to wide receiver. If Coen values special teams as he says, Rees-Zammit could be a key figure in his squad, but first the Penarth-born man will need to re-sign with the franchise and make the 53-player roster.
Coen was quick to explain the theme of culture in his approach to coaching, something which Rees-Zammit will experience if he does return to Florida.
"Culture, first and foremost," answered Coen after being asked about what he's hoping to gain when he first meets with the players in April. "What is the culture that we want to establish? The direction in which we are going to go and how we're going to get there. After we start to establish the standard and how we want to do things, then we will get into the fundamentals and techniques in which we want to participate and play the game at.
"Then, you start to get into the scheme, while continuing to educate and address the culture, the standards. That's when it's going to start, when all these guys get into the building. It'll probably start before that, with the staff building. And trying to get this thing (culture) in the building itself."
WalesOnline recently reported that Rees-Zammit is currently 'considering his options', and has been holidaying in Thailand during the off-season, which you can read more about here. At the time of writing, he is free to speak to other NFL franchises, if they so wish to negotiate a deal.
