The Detroit Lions appear to be the team to beat this season. They have the best record in the NFC after their first 13 games, have the best point differential by a mile, and are the clear-cut favorites to win the Super Bowl come February. Head coach Dan Campbell has been the orchestrator of the recent success for the franchise, and he could be rewarded by winning the NFL Coach of the Year award this season.
Dan Campbell Is A Heavy Favorite To Win Coach of the Year
At the start of the season, Campbell was projected to be one of the finalists for the award. There were other guys like Dan Quinn and Jim Harbaugh who had slightly better odds back in August, but the Lions’ coach wasn’t far behind. According to the odds put out by Draft Kings, Campbell had a 1 in 6 chance (+600) of taking home the hardware.
Thanks to the 12-1 record for the Lions and their current 11 game winning streak, Dan Campbell is now the heavy favorite. Draft Kings now has him listed at -135, with Mike Tomlin having the next-best odds way back at +400.
This is what Dan Campbell says when the Lions win their 11th straight game and clinch a playoff spot: pic.twitter.com/fNIeet4enS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 6, 2024
Campbell helped his case for the award this past Thursday night. Always known for his 4th down gambles, the coach inexplicably ran the ball on 4th and 1 late in a tie game against the Packers with his team already comfortably in field goal range. The decision paid off, as Detroit was able to bleed the rest of the clock before attempting the game winning field goal.
The Lions picked up the needed victory, and the legend of Dan Campbell grew.
Detroit will have to finish out the season on a high note in order for their coach to earn the honors. It won’t be easy, though, as they have the 5th-toughest remaining schedule in the league. They still have games against the surging Bills and Vikings, as well as meetings with the Bears and 49ers.
But if they are able to maintain their standing as the #1 team in the NFC, and potentially in the NFL, then no one would be more deserving of the Coach of the Year award than Campbell.
