What exactly do you have to do win the NFL Coach of the Year award? Despite an incredible season, the NFL and the Associated Press has once again skipped over Dan Campbell and not awarded him with the NFL Coach of the Year award.
Campbell got cheated out of the award last season after taking the Lions from the NFL dumpster with a league worst 1-6 record to making them the hottest team in the league with a 9-8 finish that nearly saw them make the playoffs. They instead gave it to Giants head coach Brian Daboll who coached the Giants to a 9-7-1 record. One of those seven losses came to Campbell and the Lions by the way.
This year after coaching the Lions to a franchise best 12 wins and their first divsion title in over 30 years, the NFL and the AP decided that Kevin Stefanski deserved it more for coaching Joe Flacco I guess.
I know that many will point out that the Lions got farther in the playoffs than the Browns, but this is a regular season award and playoff success does not factor in.
So be it. The Lions do not need this award to come back and be a Super Bowl contender in 2024. This is just another thing that can drive them to work for bigger things. It’s just sad that there will be no recognition for what Campbell was able to do in 2023.