Coughlin died by suicide, one day after the United States Center for SafeSport announced he would face an interim temporary suspension over unspecified allegations.

[9] Dalilah Sappenfield suggested Caitlin Yankowskas as a potential partner and they had a tryout in early August 2007.

[12][13] During the 2010–11 season, their Ave Maria long program was a tribute to Coughlin's mother who died in February 2010.

[14] They finished fourth at 2010 NHK Trophy and won the first Grand Prix medal, bronze, at Cup of China.

They took the bronze medal at the 2014 U.S. Championships, finishing behind champions Marissa Castelli / Simon Shnapir and silver medalists Felicia Zhang / Nathan Bartholomay, whose total score was greater by 0.29 of a point.

Denney/Coughlin did not receive one of the two American spots in the pairs' event at the 2014 Winter Olympics but were assigned to the 2014 World Championships.

[37] On December 17, 2018, the United States Center for SafeSport listed Coughlin's name with the note "Interim Measure – Restriction", following allegations that he denied.

[39] The following afternoon, police were dispatched to his father's home in Kansas City following a report that Coughlin had been found dead by hanging.

"[41] In May 2019, in a Facebook post, former skating partner Bridget Namiotka accused Coughlin of having sexually abused her over a period of two years in the mid-2000s.

Her parents released a statement that said, in part, "Bridget succumbed to her long struggles with addiction after several very difficult years of dealing with the trauma of sexual abuse.

"[43] In July 2019, former US ladies' champion and World silver medalist Ashley Wagner reported that Coughlin had sexually assaulted her in 2008 at a US national team training camp.