Mike Tomlin heads top 5 candidates in Coach of the Year race; Sam Howell's viability as a franchise QB
Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. Today's installment covers:
But first, a look at the leading contenders in one of the most intriguing award races ...
A few weeks back, in this space, I stated that Robert Saleh deserves recognition as the midseason Coach of the Year. I wanted to give the New York Jets' head man some love at that moment because I had serious questions about whether his offensively challenged team could continue to defy the odds and stack wins.
Well, Gang Green has lost its past two games to fall below .500, and this feels like a team that could fade into the background. Consequently, despite his admirable efforts to overcome the crushing loss of Aaron Rodgers, Saleh no longer appears poised to hoist the coaching hardware at season's end.
But as Saleh's star has faded a bit, several head coaches have surged forward in what could be one of the tighter award races. So, as we head down the back half of the 2023 regular season, what does the Coach of the Year hierarchy look like? Here are my top five candidates.
NOTE: The Coach of the Year odds were pulled from Caesars Sportsbook at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, November 17.
The Washington Commanders raised plenty of eyebrows entering this season with Sam Howell installed as QB1. Admittedly, I was among the doubters.
During this past offseason, I explored nine quarterbacks entering a make-or-break campaign, providing confidence rankings as part of the exercise. And yes, I had the least confidence in Howell.
As a former Tar Heel, I should have known better than to dismiss Howell's chances as a franchise quarterback. The second-year pro currently leads the NFL in passing yards (2,783),
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