2012 NFL Coach of the Year: Identifying the Top 5 Candidates

With the NFL's inaugural "Honors Show" scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 4 in Indianapolis, let's take a quick look at the top five NFL coach of the year candidates.  

1. Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers

Some of the recent college-to-NFL coaching busts put pressure on Harbaugh to reverse the trend in San Francisco. Mission accomplished.

Harbaugh inherited a nearly unchanged roster from the one Mike Singletary failed with, but he still drove the 49ers to 13 wins, a division championship and two home playoff games.

His impact had a vast influence on the draft bust formerly known as Alex Smith, too. Harbaugh should be a landslide winner.  

2. Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

You always hear about the "Super Bowl hangover," but McCarthy led the defending champion Packers about as well as you could have asked for. His offense scored the second most points in NFL history, his quarterback is the likely NFL MVP and his team won 15 games.

The postseason didn't end the way anyone in Green Bay wanted, but it's hard to ignore what the Packers accomplished in the regular season. 

3. John Fox, Denver Broncos

Love or hate Tim Tebow, you have to credit John Fox for making the risky move of turning to Tebow after his Broncos started 1-4. Other coaches would have likely stayed with a more sure thing in Kyle Orton despite the record.

By the end of the season, the Broncos had improved by four wins and secured a playoff spot as AFC West champions.

4. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals

You really could have considered the Bengals in full rebuild mode after drafting new starters at quarterback and receiver to begin the 2011 season. The transition was complicated even further with the NFL lockout.

But Lewis rallied his football team behind Andy Dalton, and the Bengals responded with nine wins and a trip to the playoffs as the AFC's final wild card.  

5. Jim Schwartz, Detroit Lions

I put Schwartz on this list as more of a cumulative accomplishment. The Lions have improved from zero wins the year before Schwartz, to four, six and 10 in the next three with him.

No longer are these Lions the same pushovers most have become accustomed to. Schwartz led Detroit to its first playoff appearance since 1999, but there won't be another 12-year waiting period between postseason games with Schwartz at head coach.