Fans saw the first action of the 2025 NFL season Thursday night when the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Dallas Cowboys to kick things off. However, there’s still time to lock in some action on NFL futures, particularly on the Coach of the Year odds.
Here, we’ll analyze the top candidates, as well as the Coach of the Year odds that accompany each name.
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears (+700)
Ben Johnson was the darling of the head coaching carousel over the offseason. Some believed he was going to throw his hat into the ring as a head coach the year before, but he opted to spend one more season with the Detroit Lions. Now, he’s given the keys to one of the most renowned organizations in the sport.
The Bears revitalized their offensive line, which many are hoping will lead to improvement from second-year quarterback Caleb Williams. If that happens, and the Bears can make it back to the NFL playoffs, Johnson will almost surely find himself as a finalist. FanDuel has Johnson with the second-lowest Coach of the Year odds at +700.
However, we’ve seen hotshot playcallers be unsuccessful in making the jump to a head coach. New England Patriots’ Josh McDaniels is a perfect example of that. We’ll get to see what Johnson’s got when the Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night.
Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots (+750)
The Jerod Mayo experiment was a short-lived one in New England last season. To replace him, the Patriots are bringing in another former New England Patriots player, Mike Vrabel. Fortunately for the Patriots, this isn’t Vrabel’s first rodeo. In addition to being familiar with the expectations of Robert Kraft and the New England fanbase, Vrabel had success with the Tennessee Titans.
In his second season with the Titans, he helped lead them to the AFC Championship Game, where they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs. Over the next two seasons, Vrabel led the Titans to a combined 23-10 record and won Coach of the Year in 2021. He can be taken at +750 on BetMGM.
Many are expecting a turnaround season from the Patriots. If they can flirt with playoff contention, that’ll likely keep Vrabel near the top of the Coach of the Year odds board. However, there are still a lot of question marks on the offensive side of the ball for the Patriots, which could hold them back.
Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars (+1200)
The Jacksonville Jaguars are seemingly all in based on their offseason moves. They hired Liam Coen, who was previously the offensive coordinator for the high-powered Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense. During the NFL Draft, the Jags made a stunning trade when they moved up from the fifth pick to the second overall pick to select Travis Hunter. In the deal, they traded away their first-round pick in next year’s draft.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence now has no shortage of weapons with Hunter and second-year receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who had an astounding rookie season with 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns.
At +1200 odds with a seemingly wide-open AFC South, Coen and the Jaguars are in a prime position to make a run at the division crown. Doing so and making the playoffs, as well as a breakout year from Lawrence, could be enough to give Coen the award.
Honorable Mentions
Many eyes will be on Pete Carroll (+1600) as he attempts to turn around the Las Vegas Raiders. However, the AFC West will likely prove challenging to navigate. The same goes for Jim Harbaugh (+2000) and the Los Angeles Chargers. Sean Payton (+2000) and the Denver Broncos are riding high after making the playoffs last season. If the Broncos can overtake the Chiefs in the AFC West, Payton’s long shot could hold value.
Want more? Check out who we project for the Comeback Player of the Year award.