The 2016 NFL season is still months away, but one online sportsbook is getting ready for the action on the gridiron by offering odds on which bench boss will be named the coach of the year.
At MyBookie, Bruce Arians is a +600 favorite to win the 2016 NFL Coach of the Year Award. Mike Zimmer (+650), Bill Belichick (+700), Ron Rivera (+800), Mike McCarthy (+1000), Pete Carroll (+1200), Mike Tomlin (+1200), Andy Reid (+1200), Marvin Lewis (+1400) and Gus Bradley (+1600) round out the top 10 at the shop.
It’s pretty unsurprising to see Arians at the top of the list. Since coming to the Arizona Cardinals in 2013, the coach has amassed a 34-14 regular season record while making the playoffs in each season. Arians’ Cards went all the way to the NFC Championship Game last year before eventually falling to Cam Newton and the Super Bowl-bound Carolina Panthers.
Mike Zimmer may not be a household name, but his Minnesota Vikings are a team on the rise. Zimmer, who replaced Leslie Frazier in 2014, guided a vastly-improved club in 2015. The Vikes won the NFC North thanks to an 11-5 record – a huge upgrade over the 7-9 squad that missed the postseason altogether in Frazier’s first year.
No matter what your opinion is about the New England Patriots, you cannot criticize Bill Belichick’s success. Belichick is entering his 18th year at the helm of the Pats, and his 187-69 regular season record with the franchise speaks for itself. The Patriots are always in the mix come playoff time, so a shot on their coach at +700 odds seems like a safe choice.
As far as long shot value goes, I have my eye on two coaches: Gus Bradley (+1600) and Jack Del Rio (+1800). Bradley hasn’t had much success in Jacksonville, but the Jaguars are no longer the laughing stock of the NFL. The Jags have a dynamic young offense and greatly boosted their defensive core through the NFL Draft and free agency, meaning a playoff berth for the downtrodden franchise could translate to some hardware for Bradley.
Del Rio has only been in Oakland for one year, but his impact has already been felt in the Bay Area. The Raiders were much better than their 7-9 record looked on paper in 2015, and I firmly believe they’ll reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Here’s a look at the book’s full list of odds. Who are you putting your money on?
[h=5]WHO WILL WIN THE 2016 NFL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD?[/h]Odds as of June 22 at MyBookie
- Bruce Arians +600
- Mike Zimmer +650
- Bill Belichick +700
- Ron Rivera +800
- Mike McCarthy +1000
- Pete Carroll +1200
- Mike Tomlin +1200
- Andy Reid +1200
- Marvin Lewis +1400
- Gus Bradley +1600
- Jack Del Rio +1800
- Todd Bowles +2200
- Jason Garrett +2500
- Gary Kubiak +2800
- John Harbaugh +3000
- Chuck Pagano +3500
- Doug Pederson +3500
- Sean Peyton +3800
- Adam Gase +4500
- Bill O'Brien +4500
- John Fox +4500
- Chip Kelly +4500
- Ben McAdoo +6000
- Jay Gruden +6500
- Rex Ryan +6500
- Dirk Koetter +7000
- Hue Jackson +7000
- Jeff Fisher +7500
- Dan Quinn +7500
- Jim Caldwell +7500
- Mike McCoy +9000
- Mike Mularkey +9000
