WATCH: Kliff Kingsbury weighs in on Coach of the Year race
Since the Patriots emerged as an AFC contender along their current seven-game winning streak, many have pointed to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as a top candidate for the NFL’s Coach of the Year Award. If there was any doubt left, Monday’s miraculous 14-10 win over the Buffalo Bills seemed to be the moment that put him over the top.
According to the sports betting website Odds Shark, Belichick is now the favorite to win the award this year. As of Tuesday, he’s listed at +200 odds.
Second to Belichick is actually one of his former players, current Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury. As of Tuesday, his odds of winning the award are +350.
Kingsbury has guided the Cardinals to the best record in the NFC so far this season at 10-2, despite a mountain of injuries that included losing starting quarterback Kyler Murray and star receiver DeAndre Hopkins for three games each. The Cardinals also lost defensive end J.J. Watt for the season after just seven games, and their running back position has been in constant flux.
Given the team’s success given all of that roster turmoil, Kingsbury is the only reasonable candidate who could even reasonably push Belichick for the title. Yet speaking with the media on Thursday, the former Patriots draft pick called the decision a no-brainer.
“I mean, they should just name the award ‘Bill Belichick,'” Kingsbury said with a laugh. “Until he retires, I don’t think anybody else should get that award, honestly. He should be that any single year that he’s coaching.”
Should the NFL name the Coach of the Year Award after Bill Belichick? Kliff Kingsbury thinks so pic.twitter.com/FEbzIZ4VHP
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There’s still over a month left in the NFL season, but at this point it feels like it’s a two-man race for the Coach of the Year award. And now, the presumed runner up has given the favorite a ringing endorsement.
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Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.