Coaches have a huge influence on NFL outcomes and often help shape the league’s direction.
The Coach of the Year honor doesn’t always go to the coach with the best record; it typically rewards the coach who surpasses preseason expectations, engineers a dramatic turnaround or elevates a franchise to a new level. Below are the DraftKings Sportsbook odds to win the 2026 NFL Coach of the Year, listed as of Sept. 18.
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John Harbaugh (Giants): +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Jesse Minter (Ravens): +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Ben Johnson (Bears): +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Joe Brady (Bills): +1300 (bet $10 to win $140 total)
Kevin O’Connell (Vikings): +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Kellen Moore (Saints): +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Aaron Glenn (Jets): +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Klint Kubiak (Raiders): +1700 (bet $10 to win $180 total)
Quick takeaways from the board
– Recent winners: In 2025, Mike Vrabel captured Coach of the Year in his first season leading the Patriots after guiding them from a 4-13 mark in 2024 to a 13-4 record, an AFC East title and a Super Bowl appearance. That made Vrabel a two-time winner (also 2021 with the Titans). Kevin O’Connell won in 2024, and Kevin Stefanski took home the honor in 2023 (his second time winning, previously in 2020).
– New head coaches matter: Over the past decade roughly 60% of Coach of the Year winners were in their first season with a team. The 2026 offseason saw 10 coaching hires — tying the single-season record for changes — and the top two names on the oddsboard, John Harbaugh and Jesse Minter, are both in year one with new clubs. Harbaugh is the favorite after arriving in New York to work with a young core that includes Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers; the Giants went 4-13 last year and are expected to improve under Harbaugh, who owns a .609 career winning percentage. Minter replaces Harbaugh in Baltimore and aims to lift a Ravens squad that missed the playoffs a season ago. Both New York and Baltimore are 1-0 to start the year.
Fan Take: This odds board matters because coaching changes can flip a franchise’s trajectory overnight — a strong early-season run by a first-year coach can rewrite expectations and playoff pictures. If Harbaugh or Minter turns their new teams into contenders, it could reinforce how much weight NFL teams place on veteran leadership and conservative play-calling versus roster overhaul.
Source: www.foxsports.com
