NFL Coach of the Year Odds: Mike Vrabel Favored Over Mike Macdonald, Liam Coen

Breaking down the latest odds to win the NFL’s Coach of the Year award following Week 18 of the regular season.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel is the Coach of the Year favorite. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

One of the more fascinating award races in the NFL happens to be the Coach of the Year battle, as there are multiple viable candidates with the regular season now over.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel (-400) is the odds-on favorite to win this award after New England went from worst to first in the AFC East in 2025, finishing with the No. 2 seed in the conference at 14-3.

However, there are multiple other coaches that also went 14-3, including Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald, who took a non-playoff team to the No. 1 seed in the NFC with new quarterback Sam Darnold.

Macdonald is second in the odds entering the playoffs while Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen is sitting at +950 to win this award after leading the Jags on an eight-game winning streak to close out the regular season and earn the No. 3 seed in the AFC.

While those three coaches highlight this market, Sean Payton (+5000), Ben Johnson (+10000) and Kyle Shanahan (+30000) all have arguments for this award as well.

Here’s a breakdown of the top contenders and some of the odds movement in this market now that the regular season is over.  

2025 NFL Coach of the Year Odds

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

• Mike Vrabel: -400
• Mike Macdonald: +450
• Liam Coen: +950
• Sean Payton: +5000
• Ben Johnson: +10000
• Kyle Shanahan: +30000
• DeMeco Ryans: +30000

Mike Vrabel Favored to Win Coach of the Year

New England’s turnaround, spurred by some terrific quarterback play from MVP candidate Drake Maye, is one of the more impressive stories in the NFL.

Yes, the Patriots played the easiest schedule in the league (they only beat one opponent that finished the season with a winning record), but Vrabel still led his team to a 14-3 mark and held off Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. 

Given the turnaround compared to last season, it makes sense Vrabel – who was a new coach in New England – is amongst the leaders in this market. 

Mike Macdonald Undervalued in Coach of the Year Odds?

The Seahawks are the current Super Bowl favorite after securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and Macdonald may be undervalued at +450 to win this award.

Seattle has the No. 2 defense in terms of EPA/Play this season, and it went through the gauntlet that is the NFC West to win the division, knocking off both the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in the final three weeks of the regular season. 

While the turnaround wasn’t as big as New England’s, Macdonald and the Seahawks were massive underdogs to win the NFC West coming into the regular season. After going 14-3 and securing a first-round bye, Macdonald should be a little closer in the odds for this award. 

Liam Coen Gaining Steam to Win Coach of the Year

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen entered Week 18 as a clear third option to win Coach of the Year, but his odds are rising going to +1200 during Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans before settling at +950 on Monday morning.

Coen led the Jaguars to eight wins in a row to secure the AFC South, which included a massive road win over the No. 1-seeded Denver Broncos. 

Jacksonville lost Travis Hunter – the No. 2 overall pick – to a knee injury, yet Coen’s offense thrived all season, allowing Trevor Lawrence to have the best season of his NFL career. It’s hard to make an argument for him over Vrabel or Macdonald, but the Jags are a team that went from having a top-five pick to a division winner in just one season.  

Week 18 Loss Crushes Kyle Shanahan’s Coach of the Year Odds

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had a real argument for the league’s Coach of the Year award if the 49ers were able to secure the No. 1 seed in Week 18, but that was dashed with a loss to Seattle.

As a result, Shanahan has tumbled from inside 100/1 all the way to +30000 to win the Coach of the Year this season. 

Now, that shouldn’t diminish what the 49ers accomplished, as they earned the No. 6 seed in the NFC and won 12 games despite losing Fred Warner and Nick Bosa early on in the season. Plus, Brock Purdy missed a ton of games with a toe injury, and Mac Jones thrived in his absence.

Shanahan deserves a ton of credit for that, but it seems unlikely he wins this award since San Francisco failed to win the division.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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