The Associated Press was fully transparent and released the names of voters for NFL Coach of the Year, along with other awards handed out at the annual NFL Honors show.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, despite leading his team to 15 wins and dealing with a myriad of injuries to key players, was bested by Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.
“I put a lot of thought into this season with this team. I thought it had a chance to be a special team. I didn’t as much talk about preseason kind of predictions and how I use that to motivate the team. It really wasn’t about that,” O’Connell said, after winning the award. “It was more about my just belief in our organization, in my belief in our coaches and our players to come together and just try to win one football game, and that was in the opener.”
O’Connell continued, “Then it was about trying to win the next one. I think it’s a great example of you need people and you need things to be able to come together and find a way to try to have unique results. It didn’t end the way we want. Back to work we go. But, I’m very proud of the team this year and what they were able to accomplish.”
