If you are looking through the 2020 NFL futures bets, one sure clearly stand out as a serious value play. The race for the AP NFL Coach of the Year features plenty of recognizable names – Bill Belichick, Andy Reid, and even Mike McCarthy for example.
What is interesting is that Belichick and three others are the leading favorites to win the award at +1200! With that kind of value, we will continue to see plenty of action on this bet.
So, who should you back for 2020 AP Coach of the Year?
Bet on the NFL Coach of the Year (AP) with Online NFL Bookies.
The Guru – Bill Belichick
Belichick was the initial favorite when the first odds were released. By that time, QB Tom Brady was on his way to Tampa to join the Bucs.
The prevailing thought, of course, is that Belichick will parlay his coaching genius into another AFC East title and a potential trip to the AFC title game without Brady. If he does that with Cam Newton, surely he deserves the Coach of the Year award which pays out nicely at +1200.
Top Contenders to Win 2020 AP Coach of the Year
The New England Patriots head coach is now not the only favorite. When Indianapolis signed QB Philip Rivers, the Colts became an instant AFC South contender. The Colts have arguably the best offensive line in the league and the defense is improving.
That makes head coach Frank Reich a strong candidate at +1200 odds to win the Coach of the Year. He’s joined by Kliff Kingsbury in Arizona.
Kingsbury will have QB Kyler Murray in Year 2 of his Air Raid offense. Murray was the NFL Rookie of the Year last season and he will now have DeAndre Hopkins as his top target. Kenyan Drake is also a contender to lead the NFL in rushing yards in 2020.
Arizona’s problem is playing in the NFC West with San Francisco, Seattle, and the L.A. Rams. Still, eight or nine wins might put Kingsbury into the mix.
The other candidate listed at +1200 is Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski. For some reason, bettors are believing that Stefanski is the right guy to turn around the sinking ship that is the Cleveland Browns. His odds have improved from +1825.
There is no question the Browns have the roster talent to make something happen. The problem is that they have had that roster for the last two to three years and haven’t done anything with.
New Start in Dallas with Mike McCarthy
New Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy is also listed at +1200 now. His odds have continued to improve after opening at +2000.
The Cowboys will still have QB Dak Prescott despite not coming to turns with him on a long-term deal. The franchise tag will pay Prescott $31.4 million for the 2020 season.
With WR Amari Cooper and rookie WR CeeDee Lamb coming along just fine, the Cowboys could pull off an NFC East title. If that happens, McCarthy will be right in the thick of the COTY race.
AFC East Takeover?
With Brady now in Tampa and a handful of key Patriots opting out of the 2020 season, it might be time for a new player in the AFC East Division race.
Enter Buffalo, which went 10-6 last season and qualified for the playoffs for just the second time in nearly two decades. The defense is outstanding, the running game powerful, and QB Josh Allen is emerging as a star. Could the Bills win the most regular season NFL games in 2020?
Should the Bills pull off another 10-plus-win season and capture the AFC East, Sean McDermott would be in the race for Coach of the Year. McDermott is given +1800 odds, the same as Super Bowl champion head coach Andy Reid and Tampa Bay’s Bruce Arians.
Of the three, McDermott is the strongest candidate. Reid can turn his team on autopilot and the Chiefs will win. Arians doesn’t have the defense in Tampa to make the Bucs dangerous.
Learn to Bet Series: What Is An NFL Futures Bet?
AP Coach of the Year Longshots
While there is plenty of value all the way from Belichick down to McDermott at +1800 and even last year’s winner John Harbaugh at +2000, there a few longshot bets that make sense.
Pete Carroll does an outstanding job in Seattle. In the last ten years, the Seahawks have only missed the postseason twice. Seattle has posted double-digit wins in seven of the last eight seasons and they have one of the best QBs in Russell Wilson.
Do that again and win the NFC West in 2020 by beating San Francisco and Carroll should be the NFL Coach of the Year. Bettors will love it as Carroll’s current odds are +2800.
The other longshot that could pay off is Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin. The Steelers head coach lost his quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, early last season. With Big Ben back, the Steelers have a shot at wrestling the AFC North away from rival Baltimore.
If that happens, Tomlin looks like the Coach of the Year. Bettors look like they’ll be partying with a payout at +2800.
Odds to Win AP Coach of the Year 2020
Bill Belichick +1200
Frank Reich +1200
Kevin Stefanski +1200
Kliff Kingsbury +1200
Mike McCarthy +1400
Andy Reid +1800
Bruce Arians +1800
Sean McDermott +1800
Brian Flores +2000
John Harbaugh +2000
Ron Rivera +2000
Mike Tomlin +2800
Pete Carroll +2800
Bill O’Brien +6000
Doug Marrone +6600
