NFL Coach of the Year 2024: Some Surprising Names Emerging on the Radar

• The NFL Coach of the Year Award is usually given to the head coach that got the most out of their roster and surprised the league.

• Kevin Stefanski won the award in 2023 for the second time after leading the Browns to the playoffs with four different starting quarterbacks during the season.

• The 2024 season began with Jim Harbaugh and Matt Eberflus as co-favorites for Coach of the Year honors.

Four weeks into the NFL season, the Coach of the Year award has been turned on its head. The two leading candidates at the moment are Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell and Washington’s Dan Quinn. Neither was considered a serious candidate to be Coach of the Year before the season. But the Vikings and Commanders have been two of the biggest surprises in the NFL thus far.

That being said, there is plenty of season left to play. There are a few more coaches with overachieving teams who are on the radar while preseason favorite Jim Harbaugh is very much in the mix as well. That likely means a few more twists and turns in the Coach of the Year race between now and the end of the season.

According to FanDuel, O’Connell is the leading favorite right now. But does that make him the right coach to bet on right now? Let’s break down the current state of the Coach of the Year race and offer our pick for the award.

NFL Coach of the Year Odds

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Click on the odds below to head over to FanDuel and place your bets: Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets.

NFL Coach of the Year Predictions

Coach of the Year in the NFL is one of the more unusual awards in the league. It’s rarely given to the best coach, as evidenced by Bill Belichick only winning it three times in his distinguished career and Mike Tomlin never winning the award despite his sustained success in Pittsburgh, including an NFL record 17 straight non-losing seasons.

Rather than giving the coach of the best team the award, Coach of the Year typically goes to the coach of the team that exceeded expectations the most. Make sure you check back regularly as we update the odds of each contender and give our pick for who will win the award.

Kevin O’Connell, Vikings (+195) at FanDuel

Nobody could have predicted the Vikings would get off to a 4-0 start. Of those four wins, three have come against teams that went to the playoffs last season, so it’s not as if Minnesota’s schedule has been easy. As a result, O’Connell’s Coach of the Year odds have shifted from +1000 to +195 over the past two weeks. He’s winning with Sam Darnold at quarterback, which might be the biggest surprise of Minnesota’s early-season success. At 4-0, the Vikings have a leg up in the NFC North, and if they win the division, it’ll be hard to deny O’Connell Coach of the Year honors.

Bet $5, Get $200 in Bonus Bets at FanDuel

Dan Quinn, Commanders (+650) at FanDuel

Quinn was not even on the radar for Coach of the Year two weeks ago. Keep in mind the Commanders lost by double digits in Week 1 and barely got past the Giants in Week 2. But after back-to-back road wins, Washington is 3-1 and leading the NFC East with a rookie quarterback. Jayden Daniels has been great over the past two weeks, which makes it look like the Commanders are for real. At the moment, the oddsmakers are bullish on Washington’s success continuing,which is why Quinn’s odds are so different from O’Connell’s odds. Nevertheless, Quinn has to be monitored closely if the Commanders keep winning.

Claim $200 in Bonus Bets at FanDuel

Mike Macdonald, Seahawks (+700) at FanDuel

Despite a Monday night loss to the Lions, Macdonald helped his Coach of the Year stock after Seattle’s 3-0 start. The caveat is that the Seahawks had some easy games on their way to starting 3-0, so there are still reasons to be skeptical. In the weeks to come, the Seahawks will have games against the 49ers and Bills, giving Macdonald and Seattle a chance to prove that the fast start is for real. But until the Seahawks beat quality opponents, it’s a good idea to pump the brakes on Macdonald’s Coach of the Year prospects.

Wager $5 at FanDuel for $200 in Bonus Bets

Mike Tomlin, Steelers (+1400) at FanDuel

Tomlin is another coach who got his team off to a 3-0 start. A close loss to the Colts in Week 4 caused his Coach of the Year odds to drop from +1100 after Week 2 to +1400 after Week 4. Nevertheless, being 3-1 with Justin Fields at quarterback is a great accomplishment for Tomlin and the Steelers. Pittsburgh’s schedule in October is quite manageable before it gets tough in November, meaning the Steelers have a great chance to keep it going. Similar to other coaches in the running for this award, if Tomlin can lead the Steelers to a division title, he’ll have a compelling argument for Coach of the Year.

Register at FanDuel and Get $200 in Bonus Bets

Jim Harbaugh, Chargers (+1400) at FanDuel

Harbaugh’s Coach of the Year chances have tanked over the past two weeks, moving from +650 to +1400. To be fair, the Chargers lost close games to the Steelers and the Chiefs, so the sky isn’t exactly falling. On the other hand, wins over the Raiders and Panthers the first two weeks of the season don’t look that impressive. Therefore, the jury is still out on what the Chargers can accomplish in Harbaugh’s first season, so it might be best to take a wait-and-see approach with him, especially with the Chargers on a bye in Week 5.

Grab $200 in Bonus Bets When Betting at FanDuel

Who Will Win Coach of the Year - My Pick

Mike Tomlin, (+1400) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Tomlin is a coach who deserves to win Coach of the Year at some point because of what he’s accomplished without winning the award. This could be the year Tomlin does it because of how he’s overachieved thus far with Fields at quarterback while most people didn’t expect Pittsburgh to compete with the Ravens in the AFC North. There is still a lot of season left, but the early returns are good because the Steelers still have a great defense, which should help to keep them in the playoff race all season. Even if Tomlin isn’t ahead of the pack right now like O’Connell and Quinn, he’s likely to hang around in the Coach of the Year discussion, and with +1400 odds, he has great value, making him the best pick right now.

Bet at FanDuel Today and Get $200 in Bonus Bets

Who Was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2023?

In 2023, Kevin Stefanski won Coach of the Year. It was his second time winning Coach of the Year honors in his four seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Stefanski led the Browns to an 11-6 record and a spot in the playoffs despite losing star running back Nick Chubb to injury early in the season and later losing starting quarterback Deshaun Watson to an injury as well. Ultimately, Cleveland used four different starting quarterbacks with Stefanski taking the Browns to the playoffs after signing aging quarterback Joe Flacco off the street. That level of difficulty is what impressed voters enough to select Stefanski over several other worthy candidates.

NFL Coach of the Year History

The AP NFL Coach of the Year award has been given out every season since 1957. George Wilson of the Detroit Lions was the inaugural winner that season. To date, 15 coaches who have won the award were later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

Past NFL Coach of the Year Winners

How to Read NFL Coach of the Year Odds

Unless there is a heavy favorite, each candidate for Coach of the Year will have plus (+) odds. This means that your profit will be more than you bet. For instance, if you bet $100 on a coach with +300 odds, the profit will be $300. In rare cases, a heavy favorite will have negative (-) odds. For example, if one candidate has -150 odds, you will have to bet $150 in order to make a profit of $100.

How to Choose the Best Sportsbook for Betting on NFL Coach of the Year

Often overlooked when it comes to betting on NFL Coach of the Year is choosing the best sportsbooks. Sportsbooks often have different odds, different promos, and different features. It’s usually best to shop around at different sportsbooks before making your choice.

*Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l terms.