The Sideline Blow-Up That Could Be Your Staff Meeting Agenda
I think many of you probably caught this post-game interaction between Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen and 49ers Defensive Coordinator Robert Saleh last weekend — the culmination of a week filled with sign-stealing allegations.
For me, it’s a perfect chance to run our Self-Reflection + Self-Interrogation = Self-Awareness formula (yep, the same phrase we printed on shirts here).
There will be moments this season when another staff irritates you — a comment, a play-call, a post-game handshake. So, what boundaries are we setting now to make sure we don’t model the same kind of man-box rage in those moments?
What lines in the sand — like protecting player safety or shutting down racist, homophobic, or ableist remarks — truly warrant confrontation? And which moments demand restraint, dusting it off, and walking away?
If you hold that discussion in-house, you’re giving your staff and players the space to feel and reflect before the emotion spills out in front of the world.
Imagine showing this clip in film study. What could your guys notice? What could they learn about themselves?
Current events never fail to give us curriculum.
Coach Prompts
What boundaries do you want your staff to model when conflict hits?
How do you distinguish between defending values and feeding ego?
Have you ever pre-repped your staff for what emotional regulation should look like post-game?
Player Prompts
What do you see in this clip that reminds you of sideline moments you’ve lived?
When emotions spike, what helps you hold steady instead of reacting?
How would your team respond if one of your coaches acted like this?
