Jaguars Liam Coen on why strength coach Eric Ciano was a must-hire
On the latest episode of 'The Hunt,' Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen outlined why hiring Eric Ciano as the Director of Strength and Conditioning was a must-make move earlier this offseason.
"Right when we ended up making a change and Eric ended up transitioning out of Buffalo," Coen recalled, "I was inundated with a ton of calls and texts from a lot of people that I respect within this profession. And then you get to know him, get him on the interview, and it was exactly what we needed."
Cedric Scott had been the Jaguars' Director of Strength and Conditioning since the 2022 season and had been in the Jaguars' organization since 2012. Coen made the decision in February, however, to go in a different direction.
Ciano, meanwhile, was let go by the Bills earlier this offseason as well. There, he was the team's long-time strength and conditioning coach. The 2025 season will be Ciano's 16th in the NFL.
"You look at his track record," Coen added, "going back all the years in Buffalo in how consistent they were, in terms of being healthy at the tops of the NFL. The ability in Buffalo to be physical, strong, tough, the toughness was the aspect that I really wanted to provide to the players and we felt it pretty immediately."
Defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said that Ciano has a "very calm demeanor," but he's "very intense with the workouts." Darnell Savage added that Ciano is a "fiery guy, locked in, and just a guy you'd like to go to work with."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
5 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Shedeur Sanders Sends Clear Message About Browns QB Competition
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Cleveland Browns are just five days away from the start of training camp, and ultimately closer to an answer about who their starting quarterback will be in 2025. As things stand, former Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco, former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, 2025 third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and 2025 fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders are all deadlocked in a battle for presumably two spots, possibly three. On the surface, Flacco would seem to be the frontrunner given his experience and Pickett the backup for the same reason. Many fans are convinced Sanders and Gabriel are battling for one roster spot, with their performances during training camp and the preseason the likely deciding factor. Many expected Sanders to have a much easier path to an NFL roster when he was projected to be a first-round pick in April's draft. But after a five-round freefall, Sanders now has his work cut out trying to force his way up the depth chart in a crowded QB room — and based on what he told reporters after the draft, Browns general manager Andrew Berry wants the path to Cleveland's 53-man roster to be a challenge for Sanders. More NFL: JJ Watt Has Strong Reaction to Brother TJ Watt's Historic Contract Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns throws the ball in a workout during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 09, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. Shedeur Sanders #12 of the Cleveland Browns throws the ball in a workout during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on May 09, 2025 in Berea, Ohio. Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images "[The] message is come in and work," Berry said, via "Come in and compete. Nothing is being given. We told him it really doesn't matter where you're picked. It's what you do going forward." While Sanders has his work cut out for him, he also seems to be game. The 23-year-old posted a video to his Instagram page on Friday just ahead of Browns' training camp, and he seemingly sent a message about where he stands in Cleveland's four-QB race. "You know, no excuses," Sanders said. "I'll put in the work and do what I have to do. About to be time to be legendary, whenever that time is. You know, mentally, at the very beginning, it'll be a challenge. But I like the challenge now." More NFL: Analyst Makes Bold Tua Tagovailoa-Zach Wilson Prediction Despite his draft misfortune, Sanders has maintained a positive attitude throughout OTAs and minicamp. Though most of his reps came with the second- and third-team offense, Sanders told reporters instead of looking at that negatively, he approached it as an opportunity to go out and show the coaches what he can do. If Sanders doesn't make Cleveland's 53-man roster, there seems to be a decent trade market for him. Teams that have been linked to a possible trade for Sanders include the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, and the Indianapolis Colts.
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Baker Mayfield explains relationship with John Mateer, Toby Keith at youth football camp
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield was back in Norman on July 19 for his youth football camp.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Ranking all position groups, Cowboys have $127 million in cap spending across in top 3
Dallas did a lot more than it typically does during this most recent offseason. They added a 10-sack veteran defensive end, traded for multiple starting defenders, and added depth to the offensive line and defensive front seven. The Cowboys roster will be outstanding if healthy, with six All-Pros along with Osa Odighizuwa, DeMarvion Overshown, and Cooper Beebe as players who tht kind of potential. Still, the Cowboys have never been able to put together a complete roster like the Philadelphia Eagles or San Francisco 49ers have had over the last few years. While some position groups are spectacular, others have holes in need of step ups. Here are the rankings of Cowboys positions from best to worst. Defensive Ends The edge rushers top the list with Micah Parsons being the superstar supplemented by another double-digit sack artist in Dante Fowler Jr. Three second-round options in Marshand Kneeland, Sam Williams and the recently signed 2025 pick Donovan Ezeiruaku on rookie deals with loads of potential. Dallas has $40 million on the offseason books at the edge. Wide receivers The wideouts rank second, and like defensive end, superstar CeeDee Lamb elevates the entire position. He is paired with a genuine freak show outside receiver in George Pickens, and they combine to be one of the top duos in the NFL. The depth behind them is limited but includes a former second-round pick who has never had quality quarterback play and a speed option who has made a ton of plays on limited touches. Dallas has $35 million on the offseason books at the edge. Quarterbacks Dak Prescott had a down year and another injury, but he was second in MVP voting and an All-Pro in 2023. They finally have a backup with a ton of potential to work after trading for Joe Milton and Will Grier as a veteran QB to try and replicate Cooper Rush's past success. Dallas has $52.5 million on the offseason books at the edge. Linebackers This position has a ton of talent and potential. They are being paired with the top linebacker developer in the NFL, Matt Eberflus, so they should reach their full potential for Dallas. Overshown was voted a top 10 linebacker, but he will be out most of the year. Kenneth Murray, Jack Sanborn, and Marist Liufau all need to step up until he returns, and they all possess the raw talent to do so when channeled correctly. Offensive line Dallas has one of the best interior groups in the league with All-Pro Tyler Smith, first-round pick Tyler Booker, and second-year center Beebe. But the OL isn't in the top three because their tackle play was atrocious in 2024. Terence Steele could bounce back after struggling under former offensive line coach Mike Solari, and Tyler Guyton has the traits to be an excellent left tackle, but he needs to be stronger mentally. They have good depth with Brock Hoffman, T.J. Bass, Robert Jones, and Asim Richards. Tight ends Jake Ferguson had a down season, but injuries to himself and the quarterback were a significant factor in that. Brevyn Spann-Ford is a 6-foot-7, 280-pound blocking option. John Stephens Jr., Rivaldo Fairweather, and Tyler Neville are young players who could stretch the field, and Luke Schoonmaker took a significant jump from his rookie year. The position isn't higher because it's more potential than substance, thus far in their careers. Cornerbacks The corners would be higher, but injuries significantly reduce the ranking. If it's Trevon Diggs, DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel Jr., Josh Butler, and Kaiir Elam with Caelen Carson and Israel Mukuamu as the depth guys, they could be as high as third in these rankings. Where the team stands going into the season is too unknown to put them higher. Running backs Some rankings would have running backs last, but Dallas has figured out the correct way to build the room: acquire cheap veterans and utilize the draft to build out the unit. Looking around the league at how many Day 3 draft picks produce as rookies, Jaydon Blue could do a good job as an explosive runner who can catch the ball. Javonte Williams is young enough to bounce back from injury, and with another year of healing, a better offensive line, and coaching staff, the unit should improve overall as well. Safety Safety is challenging because while many teams would consider starting one of Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Juanyeh Thomas, or Markquese Bell, none of them would be viewed as impactful defenders who could significantly improve a defense. The Cowboys have multiple competent safety options, but no impactful ones. Defensive tackle DT is the worst position on the team, even though Odighizuwa is a top-five pressure player at the position. The issue is that he is a poor run defender, and the team has no quality options to play next to him. Mazi Smith hasn't shown that ability to this point, Jay Toia is a seventh-round rookie at a position that typically takes a few seasons for players to develop, and Solomon Thomas is a more minor player like Odighizuwa, who isn't great as a pass rusher or a run defender. This is the only position where the team has one high-quality starter, and everything else is unknown. You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
