Kevin Stefanski Edged DeMeco Ryans For AP Coach of the Year By Thinnest of Margins
DeMeco Ryans came incredibly close to clinching the AP NFL Coach of the Year title, falling just one vote short.
Ryans and Kevin Stefanski, the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, both garnered 165 points in the voting. However, Stefanski ultimately secured the award by receiving one more first-place vote than Ryans.
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Stefanski's vote distribution included 21 first-place votes, 18 second-place votes, and six third-place votes. On the other hand, Ryans amassed 20 first-place votes, 21 second-place votes, and two third-place votes.
Ryans' debut season as head coach of the Houston Texans was nothing short of impressive, culminating in the team's AFC South title win. However, what made the season even more intriguing was the close competition for the NFL Coach of the Year award.
Despite Ryans' remarkable achievements, including leading his team to a playoff victory over Stefanski's Cleveland Browns, he ultimately fell short of clinching the prestigious award.
The fact that Ryans narrowly missed out on the honor, especially considering his team's earlier triumph over Stefanski's Browns, added an interesting layer to the story, highlighting the unpredictability of the NFL Honors.
Despite falling short of the award, however, it does not diminish his historic first season at the helm, with Ryans becoming a driving force behind the Texans' resurgence.
His influence extends to shaping both the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year winners, C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., as well as assembling an impressive coaching staff was been pivotal in the team's ascent to the top of the AFC South.
And with his strategic prowess and ability to develop talent, Ryans has positioned the Texans for sustained excellence in the seasons to come.
