As the end of the 2022 NFL regular season quickly approaches, many discussions have been raised about the numerous awards given to players and coaches alike. This season, for the NFL Coach of the Year award and Detroit Lions head coach, Dan Campbell, those discussions are heating up.
Throughout the storied history of the award, many different determinants have been used to crown a winner. With the 13-1 Eagles, led by Nick Sirianni having so much success, many believe he is the outright champion. This is backed by most sportsbooks too, as he is the favorite at -225. But, if we journey through the NFL Coach of the Year award’s history, we can find Dan Campbell truly fits the winner’s description.
A glance at past NFL Coaches of the Year:
With an initial look at the NFL Coach of the Year’s most recent winners, one can see why Dan Campbell fits the bill perfectly. Just two years ago, in 2020, the award was given to Kevin Stefanski after his quick turnaround of the Cleveland Browns. Flipping the team from 6-10 to 11-5 in just one season, Stefanski received the award, not for having the best record in the league, but for changing the team’s fortune. Similarly, Matt Nagy won the award in 2018 for turning the Chicago Bears into a playoff team. Another insane turnaround, as the Bears went from 5-11 to 12-4, a worst-to-first jump in the NFC North.
Throughout the history of the award, you will see these year-to-year turnarounds determine the winner. Sometimes though, it’s about how your turnaround your season, once it is already underway. A great example of this is the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals, a team that has been in the news recently for their easy comparison to the 2022 Detroit Lions. With a slow start at just 1-6, the Bengals led by legendary coach, Paul Brown, were able to win seven-straight games and punch their ticket to the postseason. See the connections! With an 8-6 record, Paul Brown was given the NFL Coach of the Year award in almost the exact same situation as Dan Campbell is in.
So, how does Dan Campbell stack up?:
Starting at a measly 1-6, Dan Campbell’s Lions have flipped the narrative winning six of their last seven games. Somehow, they were almost able to beat the Bills too, just one amazing throw away from winning all seven. With three games remaining, the Lions are looking to win out and clinch a postseason bid, a tall but manageable job for the team. For that alone Campell takes the award outright.
A coach can easily lose the locker room and get fired with a 1-6 start. In fact, that is the most common solution to that problem. For the Lions though, they just hung tough, taking each week at a time, continuing to build. Most fans were ready to talk draft season and free agency, wanting the season to be done with. Again, that’s the norm at 1-6, nobody would expect a turnaround. Dan Campbell was adamant the team could find success saying, “We’re just one step away, man!” after every game. Having faith in your players and staff, even at rock bottom, is phenomenal coaching no matter the results.
An emotional Dan Campbell talks about losing another heartbreaker: pic.twitter.com/Vgb4j2XMcd
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 10, 2021
What if the Lions don’t win out?:
As much as I don’t want to mention it, there is a real chance the Lions fail to win all of their remaining three games. If the Lions do miss the playoffs, will Campbell still be given the award? Most likely no, because the award does often go to the coach with the best record. It is easy to argue though, that digging your team out of the largest hole imaginable, before competing for a playoff spot, is more impressive than winning a ton of games. It is harder and a much better story without a doubt.
On the topic of stories, the Lions are a huge one! They are talked about constantly, from local media to national talk shows. Pregame stories cover the team, and the entire NFL world has its eye on Detroit. When is the last time that has been said? It’s been thirty years since the Lions were a league phenomenon. Even then it was due to having a single superstar, Barry Sanders. Yes, Nick Sirianni and the Eagles are on pace to do great things, but if you want the NFL Coach of the Year award to stand for great coaching, Dan Campbell has earned it.
If the Lions win out, and Campbell receives his rightful award, he will be the first Lions coach to win since Wayne Fontes in 1991. This would be a historic achievement for a man on pace to rewrite records in the Motor City.
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