Tomlin Still Favored in NFL Coach of the Year Odds After Steelers Lose Two Straight – Is Rivera a Good Bet?
- Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the +135 favorite to be named 2020 NFL Coach of the Year
- Despite suffering consecutive losses, Tomlin’s betting line shortened from +200
- Other leading contenders include Miami’s Brian Flores (+450) and Washington’s Ron Rivera (+490)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are in their first slump of the season, but the odds of Mike Tomlin being named NFL coach of the Year are fortifying.
Pittsburgh lost its second straight game of the season on Sunday, falling 25-16 to the Buffalo Bills and dropping their record to 11-2 in the process.
At the same time, the betting line on Steelers head coach Tomlin shortened from +200 to +135 in the NFL Coach of the Year odds.
2020 NFL Coach of the Year Odds
| Coach (Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Mike Tomlin (Steelers) | +135 |
| Brian Flores (Dolphins) | +450 |
| Ron Rivera (Washington) | +490 |
| Kevin Stefanski (Browns) | +750 |
| Andy Reid (Chiefs) | +1000 |
| Sean McDermott (Bills) | +1100 |
| Sean Payton (Saints) | +1600 |
| Matt LaFleur (Packers) | +2100 |
| Sean McVay (Rams) | +2100 |
| Frank Reich (Colts) | +2400 |
| Mike Vrabel (Titans) | +3100 |
Odds as of Dec. 14th at FanDuel.
Tomlin’s odds did fall after his team suffered its first loss back in Week 13. He was the odds-on -122 chalk when Pittsburgh was 11-0 and situated as the NFL’s only remaining unbeaten team.
Tomlin a Winner Without Recognition
Tomlin has won a Super Bowl. In fact, at the age of 36, he was the youngest Super Bowl-winning coach when he guided the Steelers to victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl 43.
He’s led Pittsburgh to six AFC North crowns. The Steelers have been a postseason team in eight years since he was hired in 2007. They’ve never endured a losing season on his watch.
With 144 victories, Tomlin is the winningest African-American head coach in NFL history.
This video of Mike Tomlin being proud of his new kicker named Matthew makes me happy pic.twitter.com/RRUqqmKtO9
— Steven Langford (@langfordkcbs) December 10, 2020
Yet the one thing that hasn’t come Tomlin’s way is NFL Coach of the Year recognition. He’s not been the winner of the award.
The last Steelers coach to be named NFL Coach of the Year was Bill Cowher in 1992. It fact, he’s the only Steelers coach to ever win the award. Four-time Super Bowl winner Chuck Noll was never voted the NFL’s top coach.
Flores in Contention
In all sports, it’s often the case that the coach of the year is responsible for a significant single-season turnaround in a team’s fortunes. That being the case, Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins will be certainly given strong consideration.
A year ago, the Dolphins were 5-11. They surrendered an NFL-high 494 points.
Brian Flores is going to be the coach that "makes it" from the Belichick coaching tree. But thats because of Flores and he would've succeeded no matter where he came
Patricia was a bad defensive coach with Pats but it was covered by greatness around him. He always was a bad hire
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 28, 2020
Miami’s turnaround began last season. Following an 0-7 start, they closed 5-4.
In 2020, the Fins are 8-5 and currently situated in an AFC Wild Card playoff spot. The Dolphins defense is ranked #3 in the NFL, allowing just 245 points through 13 games.
Rivera an Intriguing Option
Ron Rivera is in his first season in charge of the Washington Football Team. He didn’t have a preseason to assess his club.
Rivera was forced to use three different starting quarterbacks. Washington began 2-7. A month ago, his odds to win this award were +4000.
A four-game winning streak later, Washington sits atop the bizarre NFC East. Rivera must be given consideration for NFL Coach of the Year.
https://twitter.com/WFTeamer/status/1338320536481492994?s=20
Certainly, that he’s coaching after dealing with an August diagnosis of skin cancer will factor into the scenario. Naturally, where Washington ends up in the wild and wacky NFC East is the ultimate decider.
Rivera’s time with the Carolina Panthers saw him twice earning the NFL coach of the Year. He won in 2013 and 2015.
Stefanski Offers Significant Value
The Cleveland Browns might be the quietest 9-3 team in NFL history. No one is talking about them at all.
Someone needs to speak up on behalf of first-year coach Kevin Stefanski. At odds of +750, dismissing his NFL Coach of the Year chances could prove a costly mishap.
His team lost All-Pro wideout Odell Beckham Jr to a season-ending knee injury. Running back Nick Chubb (knee) and NFL DPOY contender Myles Garrett (COVID-19) both were missing from the team for part of the year.
#Browns Kevin Stefanski said he didn't come here looking to change the culture in Cleveland and that the change is credited to the people and players coming together around a shared mindset.
"If you bring in the right people all of a sudden you have the right culture."
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) December 3, 2020
The Browns are the AFC’s #1 Wild Card and still left with a chance to catch the Steelers for the AFC North crown.
It’s entirely possible that the NFL Coach of the Year could be determined Jan. 3rd. That’s when the Steelers travel to Cleveland in the final week of the regular season.
Or, Tomlin might just be finally rewarded for a body of work worthy of recognition.
Pick: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers (+135)
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
