Kevin Stefanksi narrowly beats DeMeco Ryans for Coach of the Year in tied vote

After an NFL season full of twists and turns that even the most seasoned prognosticators would’ve struggled to predict, the running for coach of the year honors was a tight race. But in the end, Kevin Stefanski prevailed out of a crowded field to take home the coveted award.

Stefanski edged out DeMeco Ryans of the Houston Texans for the award in an incredibly close vote. Both Stefanski and Ryans brought home 165 points in the voting process, but Stefanski prevailed thanks to having one more first place vote (21-20). It can’t get any closer than that.

AP Coach of the Year
Stefanski wins with more 1st place votes

Kevin Stefanski 21-18-6 = 165
DeMeco Ryans 20-21-2 = 165
Dan Campbell 3-3-9 = 33
Kyle Shanahan 3-3-2 = 26
John Harbaugh 2-2-10 = 26
Sean McVay 1-2-10 = 21
Mike Tomlin 0-1-2 = 5
Shane Steichen…

— Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) February 9, 2024

All told, of the five finalists, two came from the NFC and three from the AFC. All five teams coached by the finalists — Baltimore’s John Harbaugh, Cleveland’s Kevin Stefanski, Detroit’s Dan Campbell, Houston’s DeMeco Ryans and San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan — made the playoffs. And only one of those teams failed to win a game in the playoffs, as Cleveland lost to Houston in the wild card round.

And all five of the coaches had compelling cases to win the hardware.

There are the two coaches who led their teams to the top seeds in the respective conferences, Harbaugh and Shanahan.

In Baltimore, the Ravens rolled to the top seed in the AFC behind a marvelous defense marshaled by up-and-coming coach Mike MacDonald — who is now the Seattle head coach — and a burgeoning, broader passing offense for quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens’ season met a disappointing finish in the AFC Championship game as the Kansas City defense outfoxed first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken. But from Jackson being technically available for other teams in the summer to rolling through the AFC gauntlet to a 13-4 final mark, it was quite the coaching job in Baltimore.

And all Shanahan has done in San Francisco is craft one of the most quarterback-friendly offensive ecosystems in the history of the league while sustaining a high-level defense — all through notable staff turnover. San Francisco secured the top seed in the NFC and are going to play in the Super Bowl while starting Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy at quarterback. Opinions of his status among the greatest players currently in the league aside, Purdy’s combination of on-time, in-structure work and ability to make a play when things break down have been key to the 49ers offense reaching new heights. Heights that Shanahan coached San Francisco to.

In Detroit, Campbell did something many thought might not be doable: Leading the Lions to winning football. Campbell doesn’t get Xs and Os credit like some of his peers, but his presence leading the Lions the last three years has keyed in one of the most impressive turnarounds in the NFL. The Lions went 12-5 in 2023-24, winning the NFC North for the first time and winning a playoff game for the first time in three decades. And having gone toe-to-toe with San Francisco in the NFC Championship game — one the Lions arguably should’ve won — it seems the most impressive aspect of Campbell’s tenure might be how sustainable the success becomes in Detroit.

After a number of years as a moribund team in an often moribund division, Ryans fueled a rapid ascension for the Texans, along with CJ Stroud. Houston won the AFC South, going 10-7 and even winning a playoff game against the Browns. In the previous three seasons, the Texans accumulated 11 wins. And while Stroud soared as a rookie (and likely offensive rookie of the year), Ryans helped a talent-light Texans defense grow into a feisty, fun unit that gave the offense more than enough chances to reel off 10 wins.

Given the injuries Cleveland endured on offense in 2023 — Nick Chubb missed most of the season and DeShaun Watson was limited by injury before missing the back end of the season — but managed to overcome, Stefanski earned a spot on this list. But not only did the Browns withstand to earn a wild card spot in a season many teams would’ve wilted, they did so with Joe Flacco having a career renaissance under center. The Browns ultimately ran out of gas against the Texans, but an 11-6 regular season without a star running back and the anointed quarterback was certainly enough to have Stefanski in this conversation.