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Matt Nagy is the reigning NFL Coach of the Year after helping to guide the Chicago Bears to a 12-4 record and their first playoff appearance since 2010, but the team has some unfinished business to attend to in 2019.
The Bears are on a mission to not only get back to the playoffs, but they are openly talking about the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl.
If the Bears have another fantastic year, why wouldn’t Nagy be in the running for Coach of the Year again? I know the odds of a repeat are slim, but to at least get some votes and be in the team picture is likely. Isn’t it?
Not according to the latest odds from the DraftKings Sportsbook.
They just put out their top eight odds for 2019 NFL Coach of the Year and they’re missing a certain visor wearing head coach that likes to go boom.
- Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland Browns +900
- Frank Reich, Indianapolis Colts +1000
- Bill Belichick, New England Patriots +1400
- Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams +1400
- Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints +1400
- Doug Pederson, Philadelphia Eagles +1400
- Adam Gase, New York Jets +2800
- Pat Shurmur, New York Giants +5000
I totally get why Nagy wouldn't be the favorite, or even the second or third favorite, but to have the two New York coaches on this over Nagy seems wrong. To leave Nagy off the top eight seems odd with how many analysts are predicting good things for the team.
The last time there has been a repeat in this category was 1983 when Joe Gibbs won while helping the Washington Redskins to a 14-2 record. So history suggests winning again would be tough, but if a coach does good enough to get votes then he’ll be in the running, which should garner some decent odds from a sportsbook. If I was making the call, I’d put Nagy in with the group at +1400.
While the 2018 version of the Bears had the best defense in the NFL, there is plenty of room for the offense and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky — Nagy’s specialty — to grow. If Nagy helps Trubisky take a step in play, which is something several pundits (including me) are predicting, and the offense starts to be the reason the Bears win games, then wouldn’t Nagy be among the top candidates for 2019 Coach of the Year?