2022 NFL Futures | Why Nick Sirianni is the Best Bet for NFL Coach of the Year

The NFL Pre-Season is back! We are diving deep into our year-long NFL prop bets. If you have not checked out my call on Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP or Saquon Barkley for Offensive Player of the year, I highly recommend checking out those articles. 

In this article, we take a look at the best bet for NFL Coach of the Year. Without further adieu, let's dive in!

(The odds expressed come from DraftKings Sportsbook. Please be aware that lines may vary. If you are unaware of where to bet, find other sportsbooks in your state.) 

LOOKING BACK

If you take a look back at the recent history of NFL Coach of the Year recipients, you will identify a trend:

2021: Mike Vrabel
2020: Kevin Stefanski
2019: John Harbaugh
2018: Matt Nagy
2017: Sean McVay
2016: Jason Garrett
2015: Ron Rivera
2014: Bruce Arians
2013: Ron Rivera
2012: Bruce Arians

Before we dive in too deep, can we take a second to realize that Jason Garrett and Matt Nagy won Coach of the Year honors? Winning this honor does not necessarily correlate with a Hall of Fame career. 

What sprung to mind was this award does not typically find its way into the hands of the coach with the best team in the league. Bill Belichick is inarguably the best head coach in the NFL and has been for quite some time, but he has not won the award in the last ten seasons.

LOOKING FORWARD

You will notice that the NFL Coach of the Year is awarded to the Head Coach of a team that surprises you. With that premise established, let's take a look at some of the coaches we want to eliminate from consideration:

Sean McDermott +1800
Zac Taylor +2000
Kyle Shanahan +2000
Mike Vrabel +2500
Sean McVay +2500

Naturally, the Coach of the Year goes to a Head Coach of a winning team. With that understood, let's take a look at some of the coaches we want to eliminate from consideration:

Brian Daboll +1800
Dan Campbell +1800
Doug Pederson +1800

We have narrowed our field down to a few of our favorites:

Brandon Staley +1400
Mike McDaniel +1600
Nathaniel Hackett +1600
Josh McDaniels +1800
Nick Sirianni +1800

Three of our five favorites hail from the AFC West, which should be a battlefield in 2022. The issue I take with these three candidates is that they will likely beat each other up, which will hurt their overall win-loss records, and ultimately, the Kansas City Chiefs are the favorites in the AFC West. I don't see one of these coaches winning the award for making the playoffs.

And then there were two:

Mike McDaniel +1600
Nick Sirianni +1800

Mike McDaniel is a legitimate candidate, but I have a difficult time seeing the Dolphins overcoming the mighty Buffalo Bills, and in fact, they are probably the third-best team in the AFC East in 2022. 

Why is Nick Sirianni the Best Bet for Coach of the Year?

The Philadelphia Eagles made the playoffs a season ago but were never serious contenders. The Buccaneers immediately obliterated the Eagles in the opening round.

The Eagles feel poised for a leap in 2022. Adding a player like A.J. Brown will add much-needed juice to their offense. Adding players like Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and James Bradburry will fortify a rapidly ascending defense. 

The Eagles feel poised to topple the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC East crown while nursing a quarterback in Jalen Hurts, a questionable starter at best.

Who will receive the accolades for getting the Eagles to a division title? Nick Sirianni takes home the Coach of the Year award.