The Detroit Lions finished tied for the league-best record in 2024, finishing 15-2.
That’s the most wins the Lions have ever had in a single season, and they earned the NFC’s top seed for the first time in franchise history.
But all that wasn’t enough for Lions coach Dan Campbell to win 2024 NFL Coach of the Year at the NFL Honors on Thursday night. Those honors went to Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell, who led the Vikings to a 14-3 season.
To O’Connell’s credit, the Vikings wildly outperformed expectations. Their preseason Vegas odds win total was set at just 7.5, as many thought this was going to be a rebuilding season in Minnesota. Beyond that, O’Connell deserves a lot of credit for getting a very productive season out of quarterback Sam Darnold. After six seasons of subpar play finishing no higher than a 92.6 passer rating, Darnold had a career season, completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and a 102.5 passer rating—all career highs on his way to his first ever Pro Bowl.
