NFL Coach of Year Odds After Week 1: Jim Harbaugh

After the first week of the season, Jim Harbaugh from the Los Angeles Chargers is the consensus front runner in 2024 NFL Coach of the Year odds at US sports betting sites. Harbaugh is the betting favorite at +750 odds at multiple sportsbooks including DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars. Mike Macdonald from the Baltimore Ravens and Matt Eberflus from the Chicago Bears are also among the frontrunners after Week 1.

Kevin Stefanski from the Cleveland Browns won the 2023 Coach of the Year and he edged out DeMeco Ryans from the Houston Texans. Considering how bad the Texans were the previous season, many fans felt that Ryans was snubbed despite engineering a remarkable turnaround of one of the worst teams in the NFL.

Jim Harbaugh (L.A. Chargers)

• Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +900 FanDuel Sportsbook

Harbaugh was listed as one of the co-favorites with Eberflus to win NFL Coach of the Year at +850 odds before the season began. After an impressive AFC West divisional victory in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Harbaugh saw his odds improve to +750 at most shops. You can grab him at +900 odds at FanDuel, where three coaches are co-favorites, including Macdonald and Eberflus at +900 each.

Harbaugh has been a winner wherever he coaches in both college football and the NFL. In the mid-2000s, he turned around Stanford and made them a contender in the Pac-12. He headed to the NFL and won the 2011 Coach of the Year during a successful rebuild of the 49ers, which included a Super Bowl appearance (which he lost against his brother and the Ravens in the cleverly-named “Harbaugh Bowl”). Harbaugh returned to the college ranks in 2015 and finally led his alma mater Michigan to a national championship last season. After nine seasons at Michigan, the Chargers persuaded Harbaugh to turn around their franchise and help elevate quarterback Justin Herbert to elite status.

Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks)

• Mike Macdonald: Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +1000 BetMGM

Mike Macdonald earned accolades as one of the top defensive coordinators in the NFL during his time as the DC of the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens had one of the best scoring defenses and boasted the #1 DVOA in the NFL last season, thanks in part to Macdonald’s philosophy and scheming. When the Seattle Seahawks wanted to fill their head coach vacancy, Macdonald was at the top of their list.

The Seahawks have one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL, which gives them a better home-field advantage than the average team. With Macdonald dialing up their defense this season, the Seahawks will be a fierce opponent for teams visiting Seattle.

Macdonald was one of the rookie coaches who won their debut in Week 1. Macdonald has Coach of the Year odds as low as +800 at DraftKings and as high as +1000 at BetMGM.

Matt Eberflus (Indianapolis Colts)

• Matt Eberflus: Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +950 BetMGM Sportsbook

During the preseason, Eberflus and Harbaugh were neck-and-neck as co-favorites to win the NFL Coach of the Year at +850 odds. Even though the Colts lost a close season opener against the Houston Texans, Eberflus did not see any drastic change in his odds. He’s anywhere between +850 and +950 odds.

It’s been a wild ride for Eberflus and the Chicago Bears. His job was in jeopardy in 2022, and he was close to getting fired in 2023 after an 0-4 start. The Bears decided to let him finish out the season before they dismissed him, but Eberflus turned around the team with a strong finish and saved his job. The Bears moved on from quarterback Justin Fields because they had the #1 pick in the draft and selected Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams from USC. The Bears hope that Williams will be the franchise’s savior after a long run of subpar signal-callers. If Williams thrives in his rookie season and the Bears make the playoffs, Eberflus will have a shot at winning Coach of the Year.

Jerod Mayo (New England Patriots)

• Jerod Mayo: Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +2000 BetMGM

The Patriots wanted to hire a new head coach from within the organization after they parted ways with Bill Belichick. Even though Mayo had never been a head coach, let alone a coordinator at any level, the Patriots tapped their former linebackers coach to replace the legendary Belichick.

Although Mayo lacked experience, he quickly earned the trust of the locker room as a former member of the Patriots and Super Bowl champion. During the preseason, Mayo had odds ranging from +3000 to +3500. However, his Coach of the Year odds jumped when the Patriots pulled off the biggest upset in the NFL in Week 1. The Patriots defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, and their defense held Joe Burrow in check. Mayo saw his odds improve to +900 at DraftKings, yet his best price right now is +2000 odds at BetMGM.

Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings)

• Kevin O’Connell: Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +1600 BetMGM

Kevin O’Connell is a former QB who was best known as Tom Brady’s backup with the Patriots in 2008. O’Connell found success as the OC under Sean McVay and the L.A. Rams before he was named head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. In 2022, O’Connell led the Vikings to a 13-4 record in his rookie season. Fans thought O’Connell was robbed when Brian Daboll from the New York Giants edged him out for Coach of the Year honors with a 9-7-1 record. With just nine wins, Daboll had the lowest winning record out of any Coach of the Year winner since 1990.

The Vikings lost starting quarterback Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury last season and let him go in free agency. The Vikings selected Michigan’s JJ McCarthy with a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but McCarthy blew out his knee in the preseason. The Vikings had no choice but to start Sam Darnold at quarterback. If O’Connell can post a winning record with Darnold, then he’ll be in the mix to win Coach of the Year. O’Connell’s odds range from +1200 to +1600.

Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers)

• Mike Tomlin: Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +1700 BetMGM

Mike Tomlin is so good at his job that his previous coaching performances have been constantly overlooked. Even when the Steelers are awful, Tomlin works his magic and somehow guides them away from a losing record. Very few head coaches have been able to pull off what Tomlin has done season after season considering the roster that the miserly Steelers put together.

Many coaches would think they’re doomed with Arthur Smith as the offensive coordinator and a quarterback room that includes Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, and Kenny Pickett. Yet, Tomlin welcomes the challenge, and he’ll somehow figure out how to squeeze nine wins out of a team many other coaches would barely win five or six games.
Tomlin has odds between +1300 and +1700 to win the Coach of the Year in 2024. Unless he can win a dozen or more games, he won’t be in contention.

DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans)

• DeMeco Ryans: Best NFL Coach of the Year Odds: +1400 consensus

Considering the Texans are one of the most poorly run franchises in the NFL and how awful they were with 11 total wins in three seasons between 2020-22, it’s a shame Ryans did not earn Coach of the Year in 2023 after a miraculous turnaround in his rookie season as a head coach.

Last season might’ve been Ryans’ only chance at winning the prestigious award because there’s much higher expectations on the Texans in his second season. The Texans will view this season as a bust if they do not win 12+ games, secure back-to-back AFC South division titles, and win at least one playoff game.

Ryans was +1400 odds to win Coach of the Year entering the season, and his odds have not changed after beating the Colts in Week 1.