Jacksonville reporter has heartfelt response to icon’s praise of her viral exchange with NFL coach
In an interview with WISN 12 News, Jacksonville Free Press Reporter Lynn Jones was deeply moved by comments from Bernice King on Jones’ interaction with Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen.
>> WELL, IT IS ONE OF WILD CARD WEEKEND’S MOST TALKED ABOUT MOMENTS OF FLORIDA JOURNALISTS SPARKING CONVERSATION AFTER HER EXCHANGE WITH THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS HEAD COACH. THE JAGS LOST TO THE BILLS ON SUNDAY, 2724, FINISHING 13 AND FIVE WITH THE SECOND HIGHEST WIN TOTAL IN FRANCHISE HISTORY. AND THAT LED TO THIS MOMENT AFTER THE GAME. >> HOW ARE YOU DOING TODAY? LYNN JONES, JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS NEWS I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SUCCESS, YOUNG MAN. THANK YOU. HOLD YOUR HEAD UP. ALRIGHT. YOU GUYS HAVE HAD A MOST MAGNIFICENT SEASON. THANK YOU. YOU DID A GREAT JOB OUT THERE TODAY. CAN YOU JUST HOLD YOUR HEAD UP? OKAY. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. DUVAL, YOU THE ONE. ALRIGHT. YOU KEEP IT GOING. WE GOT ANOTHER SEASON, OKAY? I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. CONTINUED SUCCESS TO YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM. >> ESPN’S ADAM SCHEFTER ELEVATED THE MOMENT, POSTING THE CLIP ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SAYING THIS IS AN AWESOME POST GAME EXCHANGE BETWEEN A REPORTER AND LIAM COHEN. WELL, TODAY WE’RE HAPPY TO WELCOME JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS REPORTER LYNN JONES TO THE BROADCAST. MISS JONES, WELCOME TO 12 NEWS AT FOUR AND TO MILWAUKEE. YOU’RE NO STRANGER TO THE MIDWEST. I KNOW YOU’RE A DETROIT NATIVE. LET’S TALK ABOUT THE PAST FEW DAYS. WHAT HAS THIS BEEN LIKE FOR YOU PERSONALLY, PROFESSIONALLY AND EMOTIONALLY? >> PROFESSIONALLY. OVERWHELMING. PROFESSIONALLY AND FOR, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING THE BLACK PRESS? I MEAN, IT HAS JUST BEEN OVERWHELMED. AND WE’RE STILL ON WHAT IS IT? IS IT TUESDAY? WEDNESDAY? YOUNG MAN, I CANNOT TELL YOU WHAT DAY IT IS. SO PROFESSIONALLY, IT’S BEEN OVERWHELMING AND JUST WHAT WAS THE OTHER ONE? PROFESSIONAL AND WHAT ELSE? >> PERSONAL AND EMOTIONAL. >> EMOTIONAL. OH, I’M TELLING YOU, I DIDN’T KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. I’LL TELL YOU THAT MUCH. I’M IN THE PRESS BOX ALL YEAR, YOU KNOW, DURING THE SEASON AND SO FORTH. SO I DIDN’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. THIS SEASON, WHO DOESN’T WANT TO GO TO THE SUPER BOWL? WHAT TEAM DOES OH, THIS AM I IN WISCONSIN? >> YEAH. >> IS THIS HOME OF THE GREEN BAY PACKERS? IT IS. I’M JUST TELLING YOU WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING. AND SO, YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO WIN THOSE BIG GAMES AND YOU CANNOT CONTINUE. SO YOU COULD TELL HE HAD TO WAIT ON HIS SHOULDERS. HE WAS LOOKING LIKE, LISTEN, THIS MAN CAME HERE A YEAR AGO. YOU KNOW, WE SAY DUVAL AND HE JUST HE HE WAS HERE. HE WAS HAPPY, BUT HE BROUGHT HIS HEART. WE ARE ONE TEAM, ONE HEART. I MEAN ONE COMMUNITY. WE DO NOT DEVIATE. AND SO I THINK I KNOW AFTER I SAID IT, THEN MY PHONE PINGED AND BOOM. OKAY. IT WAS A FEW PEOPLE I KNOW. I HAD TO GET HOME. MY HUSBAND’S SICK. BOOM BAM. NEXT THING I KNOW, YOUNG MAN, OLD JED’S A MILLIONAIRE. AND KIDDING. FOLKS SAY, JED, MOVE AWAY FROM HERE. DID YOU HEAR ME? >> THERE WAS. THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON. I HAVE TO ASK YOU THIS. IN THAT MOMENT, WERE YOU THINKING ABOUT ASKING A QUESTION, OR DID YOU JUST NOTICE THE HEAVINESS OF COACH, OF THE COACH FOR YOU TO PROMPT WITH WORDS OF AFFIRMATION, WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT? >> YES, YES. WELL, LIKE I SAID, THERE’S A DIFFERENCE. PRESS BOX, PRESS CONFERENCE. NOW, THERE WERE NO NECESSARILY ANY PROTOCOLS. I’VE BEEN AFFILIATED WITH THE JAGUARS MORE THAN 25 YEARS. SO I HAD YES, YES. AT FIRST I’M THINKING, YOU KNOW, I BETTER GO WITH MY MY THIRD DOWN, YOU SEE, OR, OR SOMETHING. AND THEN IT DIDN’T COME OUT LIKE THAT. THE WORDS LIKE THEY SAY, DO YOU HEAR THE WORDS COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH? AND I FELT HIS SPIRIT AND HIS SOUL. AND THE YOUNG MAN JUST ASKED ME AUNTIE. YOU KNOW, THEY CALLING ME AMERICA’S AUNTIE. AND, YOU KNOW, BLACK WOMEN IN THIS. I’M. I’M NOT PUTTING THIS ON A ON A BLACK WOMAN IN A SENSE. YEAH. WE UNDERSTAND THE NURTURING NATURE, BUT THIS YOUNG MAN HAS AN AUNT OF HIS OWN. HE HAS A GRANDMOTHER OF HIS OWN. AND YOU CAN TELL THAT HE HAS GOOD PARENTS. SO AS ALL OF THIS CONTROVERSY HAS HAPPENED, I’M UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE ROOM NOW. SO OTHER THAN THAT, I DO THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT THE CONTROVERSY, I BELIEVE, IS BECAUSE WHY CAN’T I BE A WINNER RIGHT NOW? WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO SAY, HOLD YOUR HEAD UP, WAIT TILL NEXT SEASON? >> ABSOLUTELY. I WANT TO PULL UP A SOCIAL MEDIA POST FROM BERNICE KING, SOMEONE WHO HAS WEIGHED IN. SOMEONE WHO HAS MUCH HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY AND THIS NATION. AND SHE SAYS SHE WROTE, WE NEED MORE OF WHAT LYNN JONES FROM JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS DID. HUMANITY PLUS COMPASSION DON’T EQUAL UNPROFESSIONAL? IF SO, THE WORLD COULD CERTAINLY USE MORE UNPROFESSIONALISM RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU, MISS JONES, FOR YOU. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO GET THAT KIND OF RECEPTION FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS SO NOTABLE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, IN BLACK HISTORY? AND WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE MOMENT THAT YOU HAVE SPARKED IN THE CONVERSATION YOU’VE SPARKED? >> LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. I WATCHED HER FATHER’S FUNERAL WITH MY GRANDMOTHER ON TELEVISION, ON NATIONAL TV. NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET THIS YOUNG LADY’S PHOTO. THAT WAS YOU TALKING ABOUT JOURNALISM PLASTERED IN FRONT OF US. THIS YOUNG LADY. AND I THINK WE’RE ABOUT THE SAME AGE. I’M BORN IN 61. I CAN’T REMEMBER, BUT FOR HER TO GIVE ME THOSE ACCOLADES AND LET YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO HUMANITY, THIS YOUNG LADY, ME, BROUGHT IT. AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE ARENA OF SPORTS. AND I KNOW SHE DOESN’T SAY TOO MUCH. YOU KNOW, SHE LIKE, WE’RE BACK IN THE DAY, YOU KNOW, E.F. HUTTON AND THAT’S HOW FAR SHE GOES BACK. SO WHEN, WHEN SHE SAY SOMETHING, YOU LISTEN. I’M MORE THAN APPRECIATIVE. JUST THE OUTPOURING FLOWERS COMING TO THE OFFICE. OH, OKAY. >> AND WHAT’S IT DONE FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR JACKSONVILLE FREE PRESS? >> OH, SUBSCRIPTIONS BEING ONE OF THE MORE THAN 230 AFRICAN AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS IN THE COUNTRY, WITH THE NNPA SUBSCRIPTIONS, IT’S GOING UP. DING DING DING DING DING. I MEAN, SUBSCRIPTIONS, YOU KNOW, ADVERTISERS ARE CALLING THE THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE CONGRATULATORY NOTES THAT ARE COMING TO ME. YOUNG MAN, MATT BARNES CALLED ME. I HAVE AN ARTICLE IN THE WASHINGTON POST, THE DETROIT NEWS, YOU KNOW, LIONS, TIGERS AND BEARS. OH, MY. >> AND I GOTTA ASK YOU JUST ONE FINAL THING. SOME PARTING WORDS THAT YOU WOULD OFFER TO OUR AUDIENCE AND OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN MILWAUKEE. >> OKAY, NOW, YOU SAID IT’S GREEN BAY. I ONLY KNOW GREEN BAY. AND WHAT SHOULD WHEN’S YOUR NEXT GAME? >> NEXT SEASON? >> I WANTED YOU, YOU OUT? I CAN’T REMEMBER. TELL ME. >> I’M SORRY. >> I SAID GREEN BAY. WHERE ARE YOU? YOU OUT THE I HAVEN’T I’VE BEEN BUSY. SO YOU OUT. YOU IN. >> WHAT’S OUT? YEAH. GREEN BAY IS OUT THERE. NEXT GAME IS NEXT SEASON. OKAY. >> JACKPOT. SO KEEP YOUR HEAD UP. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP, WISCONSIN. AND ONE THING ABOUT WISCONSIN I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT YOU, YOUR FANS, THESE CHEESEHEADS ARE SERIOUS. OUR CHEESEHEADS DON’T MESS AROUND. SO I THINK THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT THIS SEASON BECAUSE I KNOW THEY KNOW THEY’RE WINNERS. THEY’VE WON SUPER BOWLS AND TEAMS WANT. BUT IN THE MEANTIME YOU ARE A LEADER. YOU CONTINUE TO LEAD IN THE NFL. HOLD YOUR HEAD UP AND JUST CONTINUE TO BE INSPIRING TO THE STATE OF WISCONSIN. NOW THE COMING SEASON, AS WE MOVE INTO 2026, WE’LL TAKE IT FROM THERE. >> LYNN JONES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS TIME AND THIS SPACE WITH US. WE CERTAINLY WISH YOU THE BEST IN YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HERE TODAY. >> THANK YOU TO MUCH CONTINUED SUCCESS. Y’ALL HAVE A MAGNIFICENT NIGHT NOW. >> ABSOLUTELY. YOU TOO. >> THAT WAS AMAZING.
Jacksonville reporter has heartfelt response to icon’s praise of her viral exchange with NFL coach
In an interview with WISN 12 News, Jacksonville Free Press Reporter Lynn Jones was deeply moved by comments from Bernice King on Jones’ interaction with Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen.
Updated: 7:22 PM CST Jan 14, 2026
It was one of the NFL Wild Card Weekend’s most talked about moments: an unexpected exchange between Jacksonville Free Press reporter Lynn Jones and Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen.”I just wanted to tell you congratulations on your success, young man,” Jones told Coen following the Jaguars 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills.”Thank you,” Coen replied softly.”You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job up there today. You just hold your head up, OK?” Clips of the 22 second exchange went viral and sparked a conversation about the relationship between reporters and sources and whether professional lines had been blurred.While there has been criticism from some journalists and the public, the overwhelming response to the exchange has been positive.”We need more of what Lynn Jones from Jacksonville Free Press did. Humanity + compassion don’t = unprofessional. If so, the world could certainly use more “unprofessionalism” right now. Thank you Ms. Jones,” Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. posted on Instagram.
MILWAUKEE —
It was one of the NFL Wild Card Weekend’s most talked about moments: an unexpected exchange between Jacksonville Free Press reporter Lynn Jones and Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen.
“I just wanted to tell you congratulations on your success, young man,” Jones told Coen following the Jaguars 27-24 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
“Thank you,” Coen replied softly.
“You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job up there today. You just hold your head up, OK?”
Clips of the 22 second exchange went viral and sparked a conversation about the relationship between reporters and sources and whether professional lines had been blurred.
While there has been criticism from some journalists and the public, the overwhelming response to the exchange has been positive.
“We need more of what Lynn Jones from Jacksonville Free Press did. Humanity + compassion don’t = unprofessional. If so, the world could certainly use more “unprofessionalism” right now. Thank you Ms. Jones,” Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. posted on Instagram.