Coaching has perhaps the biggest impact on whether NFL teams win or lose and plays a large role in determining the landscape of the league.
However, the coach of the year award does not always go to the league’s best coach or the coach of the team with the best record. It usually rewards the coach who exceeds preseason expectations, engineers a major turnaround or takes a franchise to the next level.
So with that, let’s look at the odds to win the 2026 NFL Coach of the Year at DraftKings Sportsbook as of September 9th.
This site may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you register or place a bet, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports betting on FOX Sports.
John Harbaugh is a +600 favorite to win NFL Coach of the Year in 2026 (Justin Casterline/Getty Images).
John Harbaugh: +600 ($10 bet to win $70 total)
Jesse Minter: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Robert Saleh: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Kellen Moore: +1200 ($10 bet to win $130 total)
Ben Johnson: +1200 ($10 bet to win $130 total)
Brian Schottenheimer: +1300 ($10 bet to win $140 total)
Klint Kubiak: +1500 ($10 bet to win $160 total)
Todd Monken: +1800 ($10 bet to win $190 total)
Mike McCarthy: +1800 ($10 bet to win $190 total)
Joe Brady: +1900 ($10 bet to win $2000 total)
Kevin O’Connell: +2000 ($10 bet to win $210 total)
Mike Vrabel won the 2025 AP Coach of the Year Award (Michael Owens/Getty Images).
Here’s what you need to know about this chart.
Past winners: In 2025, Mike Vrabel won the award in his first season as the Patriots’ head coach, transforming the Pats from a 4-13 record in 2024 to a 13-4 record in 2025, an AFC East title and a Super Bowl appearance. Vrabel has now won the COTY twice (last season and in 2021 with the Titans). In 2024, Kevin O’Connell won the award, and in 2023, Kevin Stefanski won it for the second time in his career (2020 and 2023).
New coaches: Over the past decade, 60% of coach of the year awards have gone to coaches in their first season with their team. In 2026, there have been 10 new NFL coaching changes, tying the record for most coaching moves in a single offseason. John Harbaugh, Jesse Minter, Robert Saleh, the top three names on the scoreboard, are all in their first year with their new team. Harbaugh is the favorite as he looks to transform a young Giants core that features Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers. New York won four games a season ago, and is expected to take a step forward under Harbaugh, who has a career .609 winning percentage. Meanwhile, Minter will replace Harbaugh in Baltimore and looks to lead a Ravens team that missed the playoffs last year to new heights. Baltimore is currently tied for the second-best odds to win the Super Bowl (+1,000). And finally, Saleh looks to improve a Titans team that won just three games in 2025.
