Of course this depends on if the team continues this success so let’s imagine it does for the sake of this argument.
Now, did I place a $5 bet that he would win COTY at the beginning of this season? Yes. However, I would say their aren’t too many coaches that are crushing it right now. And if anything, showing a dramatic improvement mid season shows exactly how big of an impact he was able to make in corrections.
If not Payton, then who?
COTY is basically predicated on 1 stat: wins. The coach with the most wins typically gets the award. I personally think D. Campbell and Nick Sirianni are the frontrunners, with Sirianni probably winning the award in the end. The only way SP could get a sniff at the award is if we win out, go 12-5, and potentially win the division. Then the narrative would switch overwhelmingly towards Payton, giving him the kudos for the monumental turnaround