Sunday hit the Jacksonville Jaguars like a truck. It looked like an easy win at first for Liam Coen’s squad with a 13-3 lead deep into the third quarter. That’s when the meltdown began.
As they say, it doesn’t take much to turn the tables upside down in an NFL game, and Sunday’s Jaguars at Broncos was the prime example. Bo Nix’s squad started clawing their way up from the 10-point deficit, and the Jaguars’ defense let them.
The offense suddenly went cold. Because the offense kept punting and stalling out, a gassed Jaguars defense was forced to stay trapped on the field in the brutal Mile High altitude.
Nix gradually wore the defense down. Little did the Jaguars see that he was setting them up for utter chaos in the fourth quarter.
Travis Hunter’s PI Penalty & Liam Coen’s Unsportsmanlike Conduct Explained
A worn-out Jaguars defense was already running on fumes by the time the fourth quarter began. Deep in Jacksonville territory, cornerback Travis Hunter was tracking Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton downfield.
Hunter got too handsy, making heavy contact and hugging/impeding Sutton as the ball arrived. The officials threw a flag for a brutal 22-year defensive pass interference, setting the Broncos up at the 6-yard line.
Head coach Liam Coen absolutely lost his mind over the call, believing Hunter played it clean.
Coen started charging and aggressively mouthing choice words at the officials until they slapped him with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Coen’s unsportsmanlike conduct was slapped on top of Hunter’s PI penalty. Because they were already so close to the end zone, it was enforced as a half-the-distance-to-the-goal penalty.
Broncos take the lead on the next play
That moved the ball from the 6-yard line right down to the 3-yard line, serving up a layup for Jonah Coleman on the very next snap.
“I mean, I just thought it was, I’m not going to comment on it,” Coen said when asked about getting flagged in his post-game media appearance. He kept it short.
“I thought he played it decent. I said one thing, and got flagged. It is what it is.”
Will Liam Coen Face Punishment or a Fine for It?
As of now, there is no official league announcement hinting that Coen might be in trouble. There have been instances in the past, like Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton being fined twice in 2025, for disciplinary actions.
However, only an official word from the league can confirm or deny any fines or punishments.
As for Hunter himself, he later said that he appreciated Coen’s reaction. “It means a lot,” he said. “He saw the same thing I saw.”
All said and done, Hunter owned up to the responsibility for the PI penalty.
“The refs call what they call. I just have to continue to work better,” he said. “If I put myself in the best position, I don’t have to worry about the refs.”
Avoiding more penalties, both Hunter and Coen will perhaps be on their practice list for next week’s game.
For Week 3, the Jaguars head home to host the New England Patriots at the EverBank Stadium on Sep. 27.
Why did Jaguars’ Travis Hunter Get PI Penalty? Liam Coen’s Unsporsmanlike Conduct Explained