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Lynn Jones-Turpin’s comments to Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen at a post-game press conference ignited a debate about professionalism and compassion in sports journalism. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) Getty Images The question that resonated loudest and longest Jan. 11 from an NFL wild-card game’s post-game press conference was less query than statement, and it touched off a debate about how sports journalists do their jobs. On one side was Lynn Jones-Turpin of the Jacksonville Free Press who, after the team’s season-ending playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, she used her credentialed access to the post-game press conference to offer first-year head coach Liam Coen a 22-second message of encouragement. On the other side were longtime members of the sports journalism establishment, some of whom described the exchange as “embarrassing” and argued it crossed professional boundaries. They labeling it unprofessional at best and unethical at worst. The moment, however, raised a broader question for the sports journalism industry. At issue is whether expressions of compassion are compatible with professional norms in credentialed media settings, and how empathy, accountability and professionalism intersect in modern sports coverage. Liam Coen is part of a broader discussion about compassion, professionalism and the role of reporters in postgame press conferences. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond)(Photo by Kenneth Richmond) Getty Images Questionable Comments The remarks from Jones-Turpin, who has covered the Jaguars for more than three decades, started 2:08 into a 6:13 press conference. They may have passed unnoticed if not for a video clip shared by Adam Schefter, who described it as an “awesome post-game exchange.” “I just want to tell you, congratulations on your success, young man,” Jones-Turpin told Coen. “You hold your head up, all right? You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today.” It…

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Filed under: News - @ January 18, 2026 3:24 pm