NFL odds: Bettors backing surprise name to win NFL Coach of Year

The NFL honors one person every season with the Coach of the Year award.

On the betting front, one surprising name is getting a ton of betting action to win the COY.

Could this year’s winner be a coach who survived not winning a game in the first 11 weeks last season? Some bettors sure hope so.

Here’s everything you need to know about the odds for NFL Coach of the Year (odds via FOX Bet). For more NFL odds, check out the title odds for the upcoming season at FOX Bet.

Yes, you read that tweet right, bettors are backing coach Dan Campbell — who coached his team to three victories last season — to win the award.

So much so, that his odds have shortened from 60-1 all the way down to 25-1 at Caesars Sportsbook.

The Detroit Lions started 0-10-1 last season en route to a 3-13-1 record under the first-year coach. An 0-10-1 start usually means the coach won’t finish that campaign, let alone return for another season, yet Campbell is currently the eighth betting favorite at FOX Bet (+1800). 

“As we’ve been seeing a lot of action on the Lions in all futures markets, Dan Campbell to win Coach of the Year is no exception,” said Adam Pullen, Caesars sportsbook assistant director of trading. “For him to win Coach of the Year, the Lions don’t necessarily need to win the NFC North, the conference, or the Super Bowl, they just have to show decent improvement. 

“It’s just another way to bet on the Lions’ success without them having to reach some of those high benchmarks.”

Buzz has been, well, buzzing around the Lions after they drafted Michigan defensive end, Aidan Hutchinson, with the second pick and, after trading up 20 spots, selected Alabama receiver Jameson Williams with the 12th pick.

Being the featured team in the upcoming season of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” show doesn’t hurt, either.

“Coach of the Year is generally a wide-open betting market,” FOX Bet trader Daniel Montanari said. “We could see an early leader in Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions headlining ‘Hard Knocks’ this offseason along with the second-worst record last season, it tends to feed into the narrative of the coach to do the most with the least. The ‘Hard Knocks buzz’ could lead to some early excitement for Dan Campbell.”

Here’s a look at the odds for 2022 NFL Coach of the Year: 

Brandon Staley, Chargers +1400 (bet $10 to win $150)
Sean McDermott, Bills +1600 (bet $10 to win $170)
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers +1600 (bet $10 to win $170)
Frank Reich, Colts +1600 (bet $10 to win $170)
Brian Daboll, Giants +1600 (bet $10 to win $170)
Nathaniel Hackett, Broncos +1700 (bet $10 to win $180)
Nick Sirianni, Eagles +1700 (bet $10 to win $180)
Dan Campbell, Lions +1800 (bet $10 to win $190)

Todd Bowles, Buccaneers +2000 (bet $10 to win $210)
Kevin O’Connell, Vikings +2000 (bet $10 to win $210)
Dennis Allen, Saints +2000 (bet $10 to win $210)
Mike McDaniel, Dolphins +2200 (bet $10 to win $230)
Sean McVay, Rams +2200 (bet $10 to win $230)
Josh McDaniels, Raiders +2200 (bet $10 to win $230)
John Harbaugh, Ravens +2200 (bet $10 to win $230)
Doug Pederson, Jaguars +2200 (bet $10 to win $230)

Andy Reid, Chiefs +2200 (bet $10 to win $230)
Matt LaFleur, Packers +2500 (bet $10 to win $260)
Zac Taylor, Bengals +2500 (bet $10 to win $260)
Kevin Stefanski, Browns +2500 (bet $10 to win $260)
Mike Vrabel, Titans +2500 (bet $10 to win $260)
Bill Belichick, Patriots +2500 (bet $10 to win $260)
Robert Saleh, Jets +3000 (bet $10 to win $310)
Matt Eberflus, Bears +3500 (bet $10 to win $360)

Ron Rivera, Commanders +3500 (bet $10 to win $360)
Kliff Kingsbury, Cardinals +3500 (bet $10 to win $360)
Mike McCarthy, Cowboys +4000 (bet $10 to win $410)
Matt Rhule, Panthers +5000 (bet $10 to win $510)
Mike Tomlin, Steelers +5000 (bet $10 to win $510)
Arthur Smith, Falcons +5000 (bet $10 to win $510)
Lovie Smith, Texans +6600 (bet $10 to win $670)
Pete Carroll, Seahawks +6600 (bet $10 to win $670)

* = as of 6/6/2022

Crazy NFL coaching fact: the last one to be named coach of the year and win the Super Bowl during the same season was Patriots boss Bill Belichick (2003 season).

“You’d be correct in saying the award goes to who did the most with the least,” Montanari said. “Last year’s winner, Mike Vrabel, won it for not only guiding the Titans to an unlikely No. 1 seed but also doing it while having used the most players in a season by the time December came around.”

If you are looking to wager on the award yourself and are not buying the Lions hype, consider this alternative. Usually, a team losing their longtime head coach and starting quarterback in back-to-back seasons spells doom, but it could win an award for new Saints head coach Dennis Allen, who was promoted from defensive coordinator.

“The Saints have flown under the radar this offseason with not much expected of them,” Montanari stated. “Sean Payton is no longer at the helm and Drew Brees is in Year 2 of his retirement. 

“The core of the Saints squad has remained together though, Michael Thomas is back after missing all of last season plus the additions of first-round draft pick Chris Olave and free-agent signing Jarvis Landry gives the Saints a solid wide receiver corps to add to what I believe is an underrated defense.”

PICK: Saints’ Dennis Allen (+2000 at FOX Bet, bet $10 to win $210 total) to win Coach of the Year

Here are the Coach of the Year winners since 2010 and regular-season records in parentheses:

2021 Mike Vrabel, Titans (12-5)
2020 Kevin Stefanski, Browns (11-5)
2019 John Harbaugh, Ravens (14-2)
2018 Matt Nagy, Bears (12-4)
2017 Sean McVay, Rams (11-5)
2016 Jason Garrett, Cowboys (13-3)
2015 Ron Rivera, Panthers (15-1)
2014 Bruce Arians, Cardinals (11-5)
2013 Ron Rivera, Panthers (12-4)
2012 Bruce Arians, Colts (9-3)
2011 Jim Harbaugh, 49ers (13-3)
2010 Bill Belichick, Patriots (14-2)

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