DeMeco Ryans, the head coach of the Houston Texans, lost the Coach of the Year award by one first-place vote during the NFL Honours ceremony. DeMeco is a first-year NFL head coach (assistant coach since 2017), and he led the Houston Texans from 3-13-1 in 2022 to a division title and postseason victory. Some would argue that he deserved Coach of the Year.
The NFL held its annual Award Honours program on Thursday night, during which several players and coaches were recognized for their yearly honours. Kevin Stefanski of the Cleveland Browns won Coach of the Year. Later, it was discovered that the overall number of votes was deadlocked, but Stefanski won on a first-place vote tiebreaker.
Houston Texans Destroy the Cleveland Browns
DeMeco Ryans’ The Houston Texans advanced to the playoffs for the first time in four years. The Houston Texans defeated Kevin Stefanski and the Browns 45-14. The Texans outgained the Browns by 30 yards, but the two turnovers committed by Joe Flacco and the Browns offence made all the difference.
Houston Texans Destroy the Cleveland Browns
DeMeco Ryans’ The Houston Texans advanced to the playoffs for the first time in four years. The Houston Texans defeated Kevin Stefanski and the Browns 45-14. The Texans outgained the Browns by 30 yards, but the two turnovers committed by Joe Flacco and the Browns offence made all the difference.
Some could believe that this game would have a lasting impact on how coach of the year was voted, but the results proved otherwise.
DeMeco’s Quick Turnaround
In 2022, the Houston Texans were 3-13-1, last in their division, and had been battling the Chicago Bears for the first overall pick all season. They finish second, grabbing CJ Stroud before trading back up and selecting Will Anderson Jr. with the third overall pick.
What appeared to be a reckless action at the moment could end up altering the franchise’s identity for the next few decades. CJ Stroud was named the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, while Will Anderson Jr. received the award for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The Houston Texans finished 10-7 and won the AFC South in week 18. In 2022, they ranked 31st on offence and 30th on defence. In 2023, they finished 12th on offence and 14th on defence. They won one postseason game and were tied at halftime with the first-place Baltimore Ravens.
Why did Stefanski win?
Kevin Stefanski and the Cleveland Browns enjoyed a successful season. With an 11-6 record, they finished second in the AFC North (the only division with all four teams winning, a difficult competition).
The quarterback difficulties in Cleveland were widely covered in the media. Throughout the 17-game season, Kevin Stefanski’s offence used five different quarterbacks. Joe Flacco was the most relevant name in the mix, except from Deshaun Watson, who was placed on injured reserve.
Joe Flacco moved from the couch to starting NFL games. He won Comeback Player of the Year after impressing the media.
The storyline could revolve around the Browns’ remarkable quarterback rotation and the loss of their team’s Most Valuable Player, running back Nick Chubb. Some may believe that if the Browns win one more game than the Texans, they will win the Coach of the Year honour. Some may consider the progression of a 7-win Browns squad in 2022 to a playoff-qualifying 2023 team. You might also look at the NFL’s top-ranked defence.
All of these variables could have contributed to Stefanski winning the Award, but it doesn’t appear that those people considered the head-to-head competition with much relevance.
Good for the future.
As Kevin Stefanski enters his fifth year and DeMeco Ryans enters his second, we can agree that these coaches are in an excellent position going ahead. We are enthused about the future. Stefanski performed admirably this season, but in such a close vote, the results of this season’s head-to-head should be considered.
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