Entering the 2021 season, even before making his coaching debut, Brandon Staley was highly regarded by many.
He was tied for the second-best odds to win Coach of the Year with a handful of others. But now, Staley is the favorite to win the prestigious award at +600 following the Chargers’ win over the Raiders, per Tipico Sportsbook.
That means if you bet $100 and Staley earns the honors, you will pocket $600.
Following Staley is Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury (+750), Rams’ Sean McVay (+1000), Raiders’ Jon Gruden (+1200), and five coaches that are tied for the fifth-best odds.
The 38-year-old head coach embraces analytics, but at the same time, uses his brilliant football mind to create a perfect blend, which has all translated to the football field.
Not only has the team been firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball, but Staley also has significantly improved areas that cost the team a lot of close games in seasons prior, such as game management and strategy in crucial situations with an aggressive, effective, and efficient approach.
Those in the front office, coaches, and players on the team are completely bought into what Staley has done thus far, including quarterback Justin Herbert, who believes the first-year head coach is creating a winning culture for the franchise.
“I think he believes in our offense just like we believe in each other,” Herbert said. “But being aggressive and using some of the data to our advantage is the best of both worlds. I think Coach Staley has done a great job communicating with us.”
Staley was hired in January by the Chargers after overseeing the Rams defense, which was the top-ranked unit in 2020.
Before he was a defensive coordinator, Staley’s career in the NFL started in 2017 with the Bears as an outside linebackers coach. He then went from the Broncos to hold the same role in 2019.