The reporter who went viral over her comments to Jaguars coach Liam Coen has hit back at her critics, insisting she takes ‘no offense’ to the fierce backlash.
Lynn Jones-Turpin of the Jacksonville Free Press came under fire in the wake of the Jaguars’ playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, when she lauded Coen during the post-game press conference.
Rather than ask a question, she ‘congratulated’ Coen and told the first-year head coach: ‘You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season.’
The exchange sparked a furious reaction from some sections of the NFL media, who accused Jones-Turpin of cheerleading and wasting a precious chance to quiz Coen on the loss.
But the Jacksonville Free Press associate editor has now addressed the criticism by detailing her work as a journalist over more than a quarter of a century.
‘There are no rules, I said what I wanted and I have no qualms about it,’ she told News4Jax.
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. https://t.co/sP2vAEJYj4
— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) January 11, 2026 
Lynn Jones-Turpin of Jacksonville Free Press came under fire after the Jaguars’ playoff loss
‘I don’t take no offense to it… I’ve been in this business more than 25 years.
‘I’ve interviewed [people] from Barack Obama, Terry Bradshaw, to Tiger Woods… I am a member of the Black press in NNPA, the National Newspaper Publishers Association, that has been around more than 100 years.’
Jones-Turpin continued: ‘I’m the associate editor of Jacksonville Free Press, one of more than 230 African American newspapers still printing in this country today.
‘In Jacksonville, you’ve had the Florida Star since 1955. We’ve been around since 1986… in my hometown of Detroit, the Michigan Chronicle has been printed since 1935. So support the Black press.’
One critic even branded Jones-Turpin ‘fake media,’ claiming ‘it should be embarrassing for the people who credentialed her and her organization.’
Jones-Turpin responded: ‘He can call me fake all you want to, honey. I have been doing this a long time. People know me.’
She claims to have worked at the Jacksonville Free Press since 2008 and was previously part of the Jaguars staff as an administrative assistant back in 1995.
Pat McAfee was among those to support Jones-Turpin over the controversy. He branded many of her critics ‘curmudgeon bums.’
The ESPN host also claimed a ‘large percentage’ of sports journalist ‘hate what sports are for people (happiness)’ and what sports are for society (unifier).’
McAfee continued: ‘We as a society have to stop taking these particular humans seriously. Their opinions and thoughts are coming from a place of wanting to destroy sports… thank you Lynn Jones.’
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NFL reporter at center of divisive press conference with Jaguars coach Liam Coen issues furious response to critics