Who will win COTY?
By: Jake Rajala
Mike Vrabel is the definition of tough. He was a three time Super Bowl Champion as a linebacker (even though he caught touchdowns) for the New England Patriots. Vrabel flexed his love for the game of football by being a coach after playing. He became the head coach for the Tennessee Titans in 2018. He unleashed a 9-7, 9-7, 11-5, and 12-5 record in his four straight seasons. Sadly, his success went down the drain, just as he struggled to find a quality QB.
After his Titans tenure, he went to the Patriots. He came home. In his very first season in NE, he has gone 11-2 already. He sits in the driver seat for the first seed. So, that raises the question: Should Vrabel win COTY?
Not only do the Pats have the best record in the league, but they are dominating with a second-year QB! Drake Maye may even win MVP. Tom Brady also made the Pro Bowl in his second season.
It’s quite impressive that Vrabel is finding more success than Bill Belichick in his last days as a Patriot. Sure, BB didn’t have Maye, but he did have a Pro Bowler in Mac Jones.
Vrabel is catching the right attention from his peers. According to BETMGM, Vrabel has the best odds to win COTY.
With that all enunciated, the question is: Who else could win COTY?
Ben Johnson and Mike Macdonald are the heavyweight contenders for COTY contention, too. Johnson could make it a close race in my opinion. The only drawback to Johnson’s case is that he lost to the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions earlier in the season. I don’t even believe it’s overly impressive if they split games. However, I would give the Bears props if they sweep the Packers.
Vrabel doesn’t have an overly impressive division. Yet, he has beaten the Buffalo Bills and, Tampa Bay Buccaneers already. Even if he has faced a lot of pedestrian competition, he has reeled off a 10 game winning streak.
If Vrabel can win out, I believe he deserves the COTY award. If he loses a couple of games (and finish 13-4) and the Bears win out (and finish 14-3), I would give Johnson a slight edge. I have to respect Johnson for finishing strong, beating the Packers twice, and creating a well-oiled machine that nobody wants to face in the playoffs.
Leave a Reply