NFL Coach of the Year odds: Shanahan, Arians in solid spots
NFL Coach of the Year is just another futures market to attack in the offseason.
The Chargers' Brandon Staley and last year's winner, the Browns' Kevin Stefanski, lead the 2021 odds.
Here are the prices and our two best bets.
2021 Coach of the Year odds
| Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Brandon Staley (LAC) | +1200 |
| Kevin Stefanski (CLE) | +1200 |
| Kyle Shanahan (SF) | +1300 |
| Brian Flores (MIA) | +1500 |
| Frank Reich (IND) | +1500 |
| Sean McVay (LAR) | +1500 |
| Bill Belichick (NE) | +1600 |
| Andy Reid (KC) | +1800 |
| Arthur Smith (ATL) | +1800 |
| Ron Rivera (WFT) | +1800 |
| Sean McDermott (BUF) | +1800 |
| John Harbaugh (BAL) | +2000 |
| Robert Saleh (NYJ) | +2000 |
| Sean Payton (NO) | +2000 |
| Bruce Arians (TB) | +2200 |
| Matt Rhule (CAR) | +2300 |
| Joe Judge (NYG) | +2500 |
| Mike Zimmer (MIN) | +2500 |
| Pete Carroll (SEA) | +2500 |
| Vic Fangio (DEN) | +2500 |
| Matt LaFleur (GB) | +2800 |
| Mike Tomlin (PIT) | +2800 |
| Mike Vrabel (TEN) | +2800 |
| Mike McCarthy (DAL) | +3000 |
| Kliff Kingsbury (ARI) | +3300 |
| Matt Nagy (CHI) | +3300 |
| Urban Meyer (JAX) | +3300 |
| Jon Gruden (LV) | +5000 |
| Nick Sirianni (PHI) | +5500 |
| Dan Campbell (DET) | +5500 |
| David Culley (HOU) | +5500 |
| Zac Taylor (CIN) | +6000 |
| Field - All Others Not Listed | +10000 |
Trends
-Three of the last four winners have coached on new teams. Arthur Smith, Robert Saleh, Urban Meyer, Nick Sirianni, Dan Campbell, David Culley, and Staley all fit the criteria this year.
-The last back-to-back winner was in 1981-82. Bad news for Stefanski.
-Bruce Arians, who went 9-7 in 2013, is the only winner in the last 30 years to post fewer than 10 victories.
Best bets
Kyle Shanahan (+1300)
Shanahan's creative, established, and has plenty of talent on the roster to win. Plus, every victory is a boost on his resume given where San Francisco finished last season.
The 49ers followed up a 2019 Super Bowl run with a six-win campaign. It sets a low bar the franchise can clear with flying colors, so long as key players stay healthy.
The Niners were the only NFL team in 2020 with more than 300 games lost due to injury. However, San Francisco somehow still finished in the top five in net yards per play (plus-0.7), which is cause for optimism heading into the fall.
Unless the wheels fall off, pencil in Shanahan for at least 11 wins. San Francisco gets the easiest schedule in the NFL based on combined opponents' 2021 win totals and the third-easiest draw when factoring in Super Bowl odds.
Bruce Arians (+2200)
Arians and the Buccaneers might be able to name their win total in 2021.
The defending champs needed some time to gel before hitting their stride last season, but they were unstoppable once they did.
Tampa Bay won its final eight games down the stretch, outscoring its opponents by more than two touchdowns per contest. The best part? The club returns all 22 starters from last year's team.
Nobody owns a higher win total in the NFC than the reigning champs, who draw the third-easiest slate of opponents by this season's win totals and fourth-easiest schedule by last season's combined winning percentage.
Drew Brees is no longer in New Orleans, while Atlanta and Carolina would need everything to go right to compete for an NFC South title.
The Buccaneers are going to leave the division - and perhaps the rest of the NFL - in the dust.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. Find him on Twitter @AjKolodziej.