49ers’ Kyle Shanahan 2-1 Favorite to Win NFL Coach of the Year; McDermott Second at 4-1 Odds

• Sportsbooks list Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers as the +200 favorite to win the AP NFL Coach of the Year Award
• Sean McDermott of the Buffalo Bills is the second betting choice at +400
• John Harbaugh (+475) of the Baltimore Ravens and Mike Tomlin (+500) of the Pittsburgh Steelers are also intriguing options

Kyle Shanahan fits the traditional mold of an NFL Coach of the Year winner. Last year, his San Francisco 49ers were 4-12, contending for the first pick in the NFL Draft.

This season, the Niners are 11-2, and currently the #1 seed in the NFC.

The NFL COY voters love a good turnaround tale. That being the case, it’s no wonder that Shanahan is now the coach who sportsbooks like the most in its 2019 NFL COY odds.

Shanahan is currently listed as the +200 chalk. He was the +280 second betting choice back in early November.

2019 AP NFL Coach of the Year Odds

Odds taken on Dec. 11th

Jim Harbaugh was the previous 49ers’ coach to win NFL COY. He turned them around from 6-10 in 2010 to 13-3 in 2011.

Matt Nagy was last season’s NFL COY. In his first season as Chicago Bears coach, Nagy improved them from 5-11 to 12-4.

Anyone sensing a pattern here?

Shanahan Has Niners on Top

With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo healthy, San Francisco was expected to improve. No one anticipated the 49ers would be the NFC’s best team, though.

Their only losses this season are to the 10-3 Seattle Seahawks and 11-2 Baltimore Ravens.

Kyle Shanahan: ?#SFvsNO pic.twitter.com/BO6Ix5b583

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) December 8, 2019

San Francisco is the NFL’s #4 offense (388.6 yards per game) and #2 defense (267.4 ypg). The Niners are the only team to rate in the top five in both categories.

The Case for John Harbaugh

Baltimore has won nine in a row. The Ravens are the NFL’s #1 scoring offense (33.1 points per game).

John Harbaugh on perseverance: pic.twitter.com/QstwyfKnAO

— The Coaches' Journal (@TheCoachJournal) December 10, 2019

Harbaugh built his potent offense around QB Lamar Jackson. Instead of trying to fit the square peg into the round hole, Harbaugh molded a system to maximize Jackson’s unique talents.

The Case for Mike Tomlin

Mike Tomlin’s Pittsburgh Steelers have gone almost all season without #1 QB Ben Roethlisberger. Lately, he’s been starting third-stringer Devlin Hodges.

After starting 1-4 this season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have won 7 of 8 games and are currently in the AFC playoff picture as a wild card team.

Credit to Mike Tomlin. pic.twitter.com/aDTQxkSuv8

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) December 9, 2019

His #1 running back (James Conner) and wide receiver (JuJu Smith-Schuster) also missed time.

Yet after a 1-4 start, Tomlin has Pittsburgh at 8-5 and in an AFC playoff spot.

And the Winner Is?

It’s still Shanahan. As noted earlier, he fits the NFL COY mold to a tee, and on the gridiron, old habits die hard.

The last four NFL COY winners all won the award following a losing campaign.

Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch have to be the favorites for Coach and Executive of the Year, right? #49ers

— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) December 8, 2019

If the 49ers earn the NFC’s top seed, the award is Shanahan’s all the way.

McDermott’s Bills were 6-10 last season. But they were a 9-7 playoff team in 2017.

Harbaugh was in the playoffs last season. Tomlin must still ensure Pittsburgh finishes in a playoff spot.

That isn’t a concern for Shanahan.

Pick: Kyle Shanahan (+200)