Coen on Team Chemistry: "Brotherhood Is What It's About…" | Tuesday Insider

Dec 16, 2025 at 03:35 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – This camaraderie is real, and it's more than a feeling.

Eric Murray has felt it throughout this season, and the veteran safety said the closeness around the 2025 Jaguars is one reason they're alone atop the AFC South with three regular-season games remaining. These guys like each other, and that matters.

"It's unusual in the NFL, for sure," Murray said as the AFC South-leading Jaguars (10-4) prepared to play the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (12-2) at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., Sunday.

Murray spoke this week in the wake of a victory over the New York Jets that extended the Jaguars' winning streak to 5 games – the latest victory for a team that has emphasized off-field relationships since the offseason hiring of Head Coach Liam Coen.

"This is our job, but brotherhood is actually really what it's about," Coen said.

Coen talks often about relationships and the power of touch, this week citing a recent quote from Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, a former Pro Bowl wide receiver who Coen coached with the Los Angeles Rams.

"He was talking about how much more you want to be in the building and how much more you want to do your job at a high detailed level when you care about the guys next to you," Coen said.

Coen continued, "I was watching a video the other day. Players were going out to practice answering a question to the camera, 'What's your favorite part about football?' Guys from all different walks of life, all different human beings come out and answer the question. Ninety percent of the answer was, 'My boys, my teammates.'

"That's Pop Warner, high school, college, pro. It doesn't change."

Murray said Coen's commitment to a "family" atmosphere – while not necessarily unique in NFL circles – helps "for sure because you spend so much time away from your family."

"He puts together events on Saturday where our families can come and everybody can experience other people's families," Murray said. "He puts stuff in a schedule to help facilitate that feeling, just helps everybody know each other.

"There are so many people on the team. It's hard to get to know everybody. So, if I see him with his family or he sees me with my family, it's a little bit more interaction that you normally wouldn't have.

"It definitely breeds a comfortable standpoint."

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Murray said Coen's commitment to a "family" atmosphere – while not necessarily unique in NFL circles – helps "for sure because you spend so much time away from your family."

"There are so many people on the team. It's hard to get to know everybody. So, if I see him with his family or he sees me with my family, it's a little bit more interaction that you normally wouldn't have.

"It definitely breeds a comfortable standpoint."

NOTABLE

The Jaguars in a 48-20 victory over the Jets on Sunday allowed no sacks for a second consecutive game, marking the fifth time in 14 games this season they haven't allowed a sack. "We kind of treat every game like it's super important, so I didn't even know that was a stat, honestly," Jaguars starting left guard Ezra Cleveland said. "I know we didn't give up 1 last week, but I think we look forward to each game and trying to pass pro the best we can. And a lot of it has to do with [quarterback] Trevor [Lawrence] too. He's extending plays and getting out of the pocket. That's a cool stat." The Jaguars have allowed 32 sacks this season, 15th-most in the NFL. Twenty of the sacks allowed came during a 4-game midseason stretch in which the Jaguars allowed 5, 7 and 7 sacks in losses to the Houston Texans, Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams, respectively. The Broncos lead the NFL with 58 sacks.

NOTABLE

Jaguars offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen continues to impress with his versatility and high level of play. The fifth-year veteran started a second consecutive game at left tackle for Walker Little Sunday after starting at right guard against the Tennessee Titans in Week 13, at right tackle in Weeks 11 (Los Angeles Chargers) and 12 (Arizona Cardinals) and left guard in Week 10 (Houston Texans). He started at tackle in a big formation in a Week 9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. "To play at the level he's playing at four different positions, I'm pretty sure it's unheard of," Cleveland said. "It's really cool what he's doing and it's fun to be a part of it and play next to him and see what he's doing to prepare."

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Cleveland on the confidence of Lawrence, who has 9 passing touchdowns and 0 interceptions in the last 3 games: "I'm going to be honest. It feels pretty close to the same. He is always pretty poised and confident in the huddle at all times, even if stuff's going bad. That is being a pro. No matter what happens, you have got to play the next play. We're all doing a really good job of that."