Posted on: December 21, 2023, 11:50h.
Last updated on: December 21, 2023, 12:33h.
Dan Campbell from the Detroit Lions (+200 odds), Shane Steichen from the Indianapolis Colts (+300), and DeMeco Ryans (+350) from the Houston Texans are the top three betting favorites to win the 2023 NFL Coach of the Year award.
DraftKings also has Kyle Shanahan (+450) from the San Francisco 49ers, and Mike McDaniel (+650) from the Miami Dolphins in the top five on the NFL awards board.
The 49ers have the best record in the NFC at 11-3 under Shanahan’s guidance. They emerged as the consensus favorite to win the Super Bowl over the last few weeks.
The Dolphins are 10-4 and currently occupy the #2 seed in the AFC during McDaniel’s second season as head coach. McDaniel was previously the second favorite on the awards board, but recently slipped to fifth.
Both Ryans and McDaniel were former coordinators with the 49ers under Shanahan.
Dan Campbell (Lions) +200
Campbell made an instant impact when the Lions introduced him as their new head coach at a press conference in 2021. That’s when Campbell made the now famous “bite a kneecap off” quote that went viral.
Campbell is a former NFL tight end who pivoted to coaching when his career came to an abrupt halt due to a nasty knee injury in 2009. He has an infectious spirit and relates well with the locker room as a former player.
Campbell has been a favorite head coach among bettors. Since he took over as head coach in 2021, the Lions have the best betting record in the NFL with a 32-16 clip against the point spread. The Lions are 9-5 ATS this season and tied with four other teams as the best betting team in the NFL.
The Lions are now 10-4 and on pace to win their first division title in 30 years. If the season ended today, the Lions would earn the #3 playoff seed in the NFC behind the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys.
Campbell has been among the top two or three betting favorites all season long to win Coach of the Year, and he recently regained the top spot on the awards board. You can back Campbell to win the Coach of the Year at +200 odds.
Shane Steichen (Colts) +300
Steichen is a rookie head coach who has done an impressive job with the Colts (8-6). As the former offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, he guided the Eagles to a berth in Super Bowl LVI.
Steichen inherited a team in flux with running back Jonathan Taylor in the middle of a contract dispute. The Colts selected Anthony Richardson with the fourth pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he earned the starting job before a shoulder injury prematurely ended his season. Backup quarterback Garnder Minshew stepped up and has the Colts in a position to win the division.
Steichen will remain in contention for Coach of the Year so long as the Colts advance to the playoffs, and you can back him at +300 odds. The Colts currently hold down the #7 seed in the AFC, but have a chance to win the AFC South outright after the Jacksonville Jaguars lost three games in a row.
DeMeco Ryans (Texans) +350
Ryans is another rookie head coach who has exceeded initial expectations with his new team. Few experts thought the Texans would win more than five games, but they’re currently 8-6, and on the AFC playoff bubble.
Ryans is a former star from Alabama who played several seasons in the NFL at linebacker. He’s the former defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers, and left one of the top teams in the NFC to help resurrect one of the worst teams in the AFC.
The Texans were 3-13-1 last season and went 11-38-1 over the previous three seasons. During that span, they churned through back-to-back coaches with one-and-done seasons, including David Culley and Lovie Smith.
The Texans are also battling with the Colts and Jaguars for the AFC South divisional title, but rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is expected to miss a second straight game due to a concussion. If the Texans can wrestle away a division title, Ryans would put himself in a spot to win the Coach of the Year. Right now, you can back Ryans at +350 odds.
