In a moment that fell outside the usual tone of NFL press conferences, a member of the media openly praised Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen following the team’s heartbreaking three-point playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
“I just want to tell you congratulations on your success young man. You hold your head up,” said Lynn Jones of the Jacksonville Free Press News, a weekly newspaper serving the Black community in Duval County, Florida.
“You guys have had a most magnificent season,” she added. “You did a great job out there today. So, you just hold your head up.
“Ladies and gentleman, Duval! You the one. You keep it going, we got another season. Take care and much continued success to you and the entire team.”
Liam Coen Didn’t Know How to React
Coen appeared unsure how to respond, repeatedly thanking Jones as the moment visibly caught him off guard.
The exchange reignited a long-running debate within sports media. Journalism, like coaching, is a profession built on standards, and many believe fandom should not cross into a reporter’s objective role. Others argue that true objectivity in modern sports media is difficult to find, even among those who claim it.
It appears that Jones does not regularly cover sports for the paper.
While some felt Jones “got in there and made it about herself,” critics pointed out that numerous reporters quickly took to social media to do much the same, offering their own commentary on the moment.
GettyJACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – JANUARY 04: Head coach Liam Coen of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on prior to a game against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium on January 04, 2026 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Interaction Sparked Arguments Online
Reaction online was sharply divided, drawing both praise and criticism. Two Associated Press reporters were particularly vocal in their disapproval.
“Either be a reporter. Or be a fan. You can’t do both,” John Wawrow, the AP’s Buffalo-based sports reporter, posted on X.
Mark Long, an AP football writer, responded to ESPN’s Adam Schefter—who had described the exchange as “awesome”—by saying: “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,” Long added.
“This can’t be a reporter,” wrote journalist Jemele Hill on X. Hill later followed up by noting that Jones works for a community newspaper and that “so now it makes a little more sense now.”
Jones also received significant support on social media Sunday night.
Will Brown, a reporter at Jacksonville Today, pushed back on Long’s criticism, writing: “Lynn Jones has a decades-long track record of journalism and informing communities that are often ignored by legacy media. She is the antithesis of ‘fake media.'”
“The Jacksonville Free Press is a beacon of information, particularly for Jacksonville’s Black community.”
The Jaguars themselves later tweeted out the clip, further amplifying the moment.
Jaguars Press Conference Praise Ignites Heated Debate on Sports Media Standards