Mike Tomlin Given Best Odds to Win 2020 NFL Coach of the Year After Week 7
- The Pittsburgh Steelers are the lone undefeated team remaining in the NFL
- Coach Mike Tomlin has the shortest odds to win coach of the year
- Read below to see if he’s the best bet to make or if there’s value to be had with another coach
Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin has been at the helm since 2007, guiding his squad to the playoffs in eight of his 13 seasons on the job, though not in the last two years. He’s also, somewhat surprisingly, never won a coach of the year award.
Way back in April, Tomlin was considered a pretty big +2800 longshot to earn his maiden award.
Heading into the season, it wasn’t expected that Tomlin would be battling to win it. In fact, he wasn’t even listed as one of the options to take home the trophy, but after an impressive 6-0 start to become the final team without a loss this season, oddsmakers are taking notice and have installed him as favorite.
Should he be the coach you plunk down some cash on or is there value to be had elsewhere around the league?
2020 NFL AP Coach of the Year Odds
| Head Coach | Odds |
|---|---|
| Mike Tomlin (Steelers) | +575 |
| John Harbaugh (Ravens) | +750 |
| Bruce Arians (Buccaneers) | +800 |
| Andy Reid (Chiefs) | +1000 |
| Mike Vrabel (Titans) | +1000 |
| Ron Rivera (Washington) | +1000 |
| Brian Flores (Dolphins) | +1000 |
| Kliff Kingsbury (Cardinals) | +1000 |
| Kevin Stefanski (Browns) | +1000 |
| Matt Lafleur (Packers) | +1200 |
| Frank Reich (Colts) | +1200 |
| Pete Carroll (Seahawks) | +1600 |
| Sean McDermott (Bills) | +1800 |
| Matt Rhule (Panthers) | +2000 |
| Kyle Shanahan (49ers) | +2500 |
| Matt Nagy (Bears) | +2800 |
| Sean McVay (Rams) | +2800 |
| Bill Belichick (Patriots) | +5000 |
| Sean Payton (Saints) | +6600 |
| Jon Gruden (Raiders) | +6600 |
| Mike McCarthy (Cowboys) | +10000 |
Odds taken Oct. 27
Tomlin Riding High From Last Season
It feels weird to say that guiding a team to an 8-8 record is a phenomenal coaching job, but that’s what Mike Tomlin did for the Steelers last season. After losing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in week 2 due to injury for the campaign, Tomlin had third-round pick Mason Rudolph and undrafted “Duck” Devlin Hodges as his QB’s but yet he still managed to lead the team to a respectable season.
Mike Tomlin on the philosophy of building a top defense. "If they can't score, you can't lose." #Steelers
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) October 27, 2020
That surely will stick in the minds of voters for this season, where despite Pittsburgh recording the sixth-most points per game, their offense has improved from dead last in 2019 (according to Pro Football Focus), to just 25th this season. Put another way, it’s not as if this team is being dragged by Big Ben and the offense as much as it is by the defense, which was first this season and last season.
"Mike Tomlin is an excellent coach. He was 29 years old when I interviewed him. It took me 15 minutes to figure out this young man has something special…
I'm really not sure why he doesn't get more credit"@TonyDungy on the @Steelers & Mike Tomlin #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/Ht8uXyIkX7
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 21, 2020
Sometimes a coach’s success is perceived to be overshadowed primarily by how great the quarterback is (See Mike McCarthy’s tenure with the Packers alongside Aaron Rodgers), but Mike Tomlin has proven he can take a poor offense and make the team competitive without Big Ben so that surely will be in the minds of voters when it comes down to decide who to choose this season.
Bruce Arians a Threat to Win Third Coach of the Year Award
The second most likely winner on the board is Ravens coach John Harbaugh, but that’s unlikely historically, with the last repeat COY being Joe Gibbs way back in 1983. The third option is Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians, who has won the award with the Colts as an interim coach in 2012 and with the Cardinals in 2014.
The Buccaneers, incredibly, are 20 for 20 this season scoring touchdowns in goal-to-go situations. Bruce Arians says he doesn't think he's seen anything like that in his coaching career.
— Scott Smith (@ScottSBucs) October 26, 2020
He’s guided the Bucs to a solid 5-2 start and he’ll always be in the running provided the team continues to win because of the story of him linking up with Tom Brady. He’ll have a pretty good chance also, with two games against Atlanta still to come along with division rivals New Orleans and Carolina.
Arians, who left the Steelers after 2011 when it was reported he “retired”, only to resurface in Indianapolis, has a tremendous opportunity to win yet another award and really should be the favorite after Tomlin.
Last Eight NFL Coach of the Year Winners
| Year | Winner | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 11-5 |
Bank on Tomlin Winning First Award
Having rushed out to such a hot start, it would be a huge surprise if the Steelers aren’t in contention for the AFC’s top seed heading into the postseason. With an outstanding defense and an offense that has flashes of splashy plays from their wide receivers like rookie Chase Claypool, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Diontae Johnson.
Sometimes the award is given to the coach with the most surprising team and other times it’s a legacy award for sustained success over a long period of time. Mike Tomlin has been getting it done for over a decade and this year could very well be the first time he wins it.
Pick: Mike Tomlin (+575)
Michael "Hound Dog" Harrison is well known in the sports industry as the resident statistician for the SC with Jay Onrait Show. He has worked at TSN for over 16 years, where he's been featured on Sportscentre, That's Hockey, That's Hockey 2Nite, The Masters preview shows, and several more.
