Coaching the Unpredictable

The 2023 NFL season was one for the ages – marked by unprecedented injuries, shocking upsets, and seemingly inexplicable team trajectories. As a result, the traditional metrics that often determine Coach of the Year status were left in tatters. Typically, this award is bestowed upon coaches who have navigated their teams through periods of relative stability and success. However, no such narrative could be applied to the 2023 season. Teams like the Washington Commanders, who started the year with a strong but injury-plagued roster, and the Philadelphia Eagles, who struggled to find consistency behind center, defied expectations in dramatic fashion. In this context, the Coach of the Year award should not go to coaches who successfully steered their teams through predictable scenarios. Instead, it should be awarded to those who rose to meet – or even overcome – the unexpected challenges that threatened to derail their seasons.