Every year, various publications release their own NFL awards, recognizing outstanding play and performance around the league. Of these agencies and publications, the NFL recognizes the selections of The Associated Press (AP) when officially naming their winners each year. For the most part, we know how it goes. MVP has turned into the “quarterback of the year” award. Offensive Player of the Year has turned into the “should probably be the real MVP” award. Coach of the Year usually goes to a head coach who kept their team competitive despite injuries, player departures, strength of schedule, etc. If this is indeed the criteria for this award, why aren’t more people talking about Green Bay Packers HC Matt LaFleur?
Let’s start with the two coaches who seem most likely to win the award this year: Browns HC Kevin Stefanski and Texans HC DeMeco Ryans (my personal pick for the award this year).
The Cleveland Browns lost star RB Nick Chubb to a devastating knee injury early in the season, and the injuries didn’t stop there. After a season-ending shoulder injury to preferred (for some) starter Deshaun Watson, the Browns have started four other quarterbacks this year: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, P.J. Walker, Joe Flacco, and Jeff Driskel. Despite the loss of Chubb, plus the carousel of faces at the most important position on the team, the Browns managed to win 11 games this season and the team made the playoffs as the AFC’s fifth seed.
The Houston Texans were a very bad football team in 2022 (and in 2021, and in 2020). After trading away the guy with the shoulder mentioned above, the team was left with a huge question mark at the quarterback position. Houston’s win in Week 18 last season brought their record to 3-13-1, and they lost the #1 overall pick as a result. HC Lovie Smith was fired, and suddenly the Texans found themselves needing a new coach and quarterback. Enter stage left: DeMeco Ryans and #2 overall pick CJ Stroud. After starting the season 0-2, the team finished with a record of 10-7, which was good enough to win the division and make the playoffs as the fourth seed. On their way to winning the AFC South, they’ve also put the entire league on notice, because it looks like Stroud might be the league’s next young star.
