Five leading NFL Coach of the Year candidates entering Week 17

As the 2023 NFL regular season draws to a close, the Coach of the Year race has seen several strong candidates make a late push for the award. With Week 16 in the books, here are the leading candidates for the NFL Coach of the Year Award:

5. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens

Having a loaded roster could preclude a candidate from winning Coach of the Year, though Harbaugh and his Ravens (12-3) haven't had an easy road to the top of the AFC standings. Despite concerns surrounding QB Lamar Jackson's potential to win a championship, as well as key injuries to RB J.K. Dobbins and TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore managed to emerge as one of the league's top offenses. 

The Ravens rank fourth in points (27.8) and fifth in yards per game (372.1) while leading the NFL in rushing (159.7 ypg).

Defensively, the Ravens have arguably the most dominant unit of any team, as they allow the fewest points and sixth-fewest yards per game (297.3). 

However, that shouldn't be much of a surprise since they have talents like LB Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton and will consequently hinder Harbaugh's COTY bid. Still, Harbaugh would surely prefer a second Super Bowl ring over another Coach of the Year Award.

4. Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts

Steichen's candidacy has taken a hit with the Colts (8-7) dropping two of their last three games, but his case deserves to be highlighted even if he likely won't win the award. 

Indianapolis has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season, considering that oddsmakers didn't expect much from the team, setting its win total at 6.5 games, which it surpassed in Week 13.

Now, with two games remaining, the Colts hold the final AFC wild-card spot and remain in play for the division title as they're locked in a three-way tie for first place. It's an impressive feat to be in this position at this point of the season, especially for a first-year head coach and even more so for one that has the ninth-best scoring offense (23.6 ppg) with a backup quarterback. 

As long as fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson pans out, Steichen should be a perennial contender for Coach of the Year for the foreseeable future. 

3. Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins 

The AFC East-leading Dolphins (11-4) and McDaniel finally silenced some critics after earning their first win of the season against a team with a winning record last week. Nonetheless, the victory and a division title probably still won't be enough for McDaniel to take home the COTY Award, even if he has solidified himself as one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL. 

McDaniel has guided Miami to the No. 1 offense in terms of scoring (30.9) and total yards per (411.5) this season while boasting the fifth-best rushing attack (136.4 ypg).

Additionally, McDaniel's offensive scheme has produced a 4,000-yard passer in Tua Tagovailoa, two 1,000-yard receivers in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, as well as a 1,000-yard rusher in Raheem Mostert. The historic performance of the offense has overshadowed the dominance of McDaniel's defense, which has allowed the fewest points (15.9) and yards (253.8) per game since CB Jalen Ramsey's Dolphins debut in Week 8. 

Even so, coaching such a star-studded roster will be detrimental to McDaniel's COTY campaign, but he is worthy of being a finalist. 

2. Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns 

Although Cleveland entered 2023 with perhaps its most talented roster in franchise history, it has overcome plenty of adversity to reach its 10-5 record, largely due to Stefanski's guidance. 

The Browns have the top-ranked defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed, but it's the unexpected success the offense has enjoyed that makes Stefanski's COTY case so compelling.

The Browns dealt with injuries and inconsistent performances from QB Deshaun Watson before he was shut down for the season, and they haven't missed much of a beat since. 

They've won games with former XFL standout P.J. Walker, fifth-round rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and 38-year-old Joe Flacco, becoming the seventh team since 1950 to reach 10 wins with four different quarterbacks, per ESPN's Jake Trotter. 

Oh, and they've also been doing it all without star RB Nick Chubb, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2. 

1. Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions 

Much has changed since we ranked our Coach of the Year candidates in Week 8, except for the front-runner. Campbell has been the odds-on favorite for the award since Detroit's convincing season-opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs and will be difficult to unseat after leading the Lions to their first division title in 30 years.

While the Lions (11-4) have clearly been the top team in the NFC North throughout the season, they've shown glaring weaknesses since their Week 9 bye. 

Over the last seven games, Detroit has allowed the fourth-most points (190) and 10th-most yards (2,507) in the NFL yet compiled a 5-2 record. Great coaching can mask a lot of a team's deficiencies, and Campbell's staff has done exactly that during this current stretch. 

If the Lions can secure a win in Dallas this week, Campbell should be all but guaranteed Coach of the Year honors.