The 2026 NFL season will present plenty of news. 10 teams changed head coaches after a tumultuous 2025 campaign, and everybody’s waiting to see who will make the strongest impact on their new teams. Some additions generated high expectations, such as John Harbaugh signing with the New York Giants, Klint Kubiak replacing Pete Carroll in Las Vegas and Mike LaFleur taking over the Arizona Cardinals.
On the other hand, others arrived in complex situations that will require a lot of work to fix. Meanwhile, oddsmakers predicted which coaches would be in the mix to win awards.
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The 2026 Coach of the Year award has a clear favorite, and it is a newcomer. Pro Football Talk reports that John Harbaugh is the clear favorite to bag the award. He sits atop with +500 odds, with nobody coming close. Ironically, the man the Baltimore Ravens signed to replace him, Jesse Minter, sits second on the list (+800).
John Harbaugh (New York Giants)
John Harbaugh poses after the press conference announcing his hiring as the next New York Giants head coach at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
Robert Saleh of the Tennessee Titans sits third (+1000) while three coaches have the same odds (+1200), Saints’ Kellen Moore, Bills’ Joe Brady and Steelers’ Mike McCarthy. Noticeably, the only coach with more than one year on the job is Moore. The rest will start a new journey in 2026.
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John Harbaugh’s Giants considered potential contenders in 2026
The New York Giants’ strong offseason, including the addition of Harbaugh, put them in a good position to compete next season. Pro Football Focus named them a potential contender for the 2026 season.
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“The Giants made an early statement ahead of free agency by hiring former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh — a move that signals an intention to compete sooner rather than later. The addition of offensive coordinator Matt Nagy is somewhat less inspiring, but turning the defense over to Dennard Wilson, who inherits a talented defensive line, is a strong complementary move,” Thomas Valentine wrote.
With Jaxson Dart returning and the moves they made in the offseason, the Giants carry high expectations in Harbaugh’s first campaign.
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