Commanders Next Coach Odds: Mike Macdonald Given 36% Chance to be Next Coach in Washington
The Washington Commanders are in search of a new head coach after firing Ron Rivera on Monday morning. Will Josh Harris look for a rising star to replace him and solve their defensive woes? There are several young defensive coordinators on the list to take over, so let's take a look at the latest odds.
Peter Alexis - January 8, 2024, 9:55 AM EST
5 minCommanders Next Coach Odds: Mike Macdonald Given 36% Chance to be Next Coach in Washington
The Washington Commanders wasted no time in firing Ron Rivera on Monday morning, after months of speculation that the team would be going in a different direction after the 2023 season. Several blowouts down the stretch did not help his case, and the team will now start fresh as they try to pivot away from their losing ways.
Rivera was a measly 26-40-1 in his four seasons in Washington, culminating in a 38-10 blowout at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys to cap off a four-win season. Rivera was able to sneak into the playoffs in his first season despite a 7-9 record, but it was only down hill from there. He never turned in a true winning season, and the losses got worse over time.
The Commanders are under new ownership as of this past summer, and they will move swiftly to install their new management and get this franchise back on track. They have considered everything from a name change to a stadium change, and the coaching move is just another step in the process to reinvent themselves and distance from the poor product on and off the field that has plagued this organization.
Will Josh Harris and the Commanders ownership group look for a defensive guru to solve their league-worst scoring defense? Or will they grab an offensive mind to develop Sam Howell or another new quarterback? Let's take a look at the latest odds for the next Washington Commanders coach, and see where they could be heading.
Commanders Next Coach Odds
Coach | Odds | Implied Probabilty |
|---|---|---|
Mike Macdonald | +175 | 36.4% |
Bill Belichick | +325 | 23.5% |
Eric Bieniemy | +500 | 16.7% |
Ben Johnson | +600 | 14.3% |
Jim Harbaugh | +600 | 14.3% |
Bobby Slowik | +1500 | 6.3% |
Shane Waldron | +1800 | 5.3% |
Mike Macdonald +175
The newest defensive guru to take over the league, Mike Macdonald's name has been receiving hype for multiple head coaching vacancies. He took over as the defensive coordinator in Baltimore before the 2022 season, and has led the Ravens to the best defense in the league in only his second year at the helm.
They were the third-best scoring defense in 2022 at 18 ppg, and rose to first overall with just 16 ppg in 2023. Macdonald has been helping to cultivate this system for years, after serving as a defensive assistant and then linebackers coach between the years of 2014 and 2020.
Macdonald spent the 2021 season as the Michigan defensive coordinator before returning to the Ravens for the same role in 2022. He has demonstrated success at all levels, and has earned his spot among the most prized coaching candidates. A short trip down I-95 could be in order for Macdonald if the Commanders decide to pull the trigger, and their is already significant momentum on their end as they continue to express interest.
Eric Bieniemy +500
The Commanders could look internally to find their replacement, with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy wrapping up his first year as their offensive coordinator.
Bieniemy had Sam Howell leading the NFL in passing yards at one point in the season, before he was benched in the latter half due to poor play. The Commanders demonstrated a strong passing attack at times in Bieniemy's scheme, but were lacking at several key positions and had trouble punching the ball in the end zone and overcoming turnovers.
Bieniemy had been a head coaching candidate for several years before leaving the Kansas City Chiefs for the Washington job, and it is likely ahead in his future. This may not be the perfect fit for his first head coaching gig, as the franchise is riddled with issues and notable defensive woes that he would have trouble fixing.
Bill Belichick +325
After an unprecedentedly difficult year in New England, famed coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots may be parting ways at the end of the season. The Patriots completed a horrendous 4-13 campaign with a 17-3 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, snapping a 15-game win streak over their division rival.
The rumor mill is swirling with reports that Belichick is on the way out, and there will be a plethora of interested teams if this is indeed the end of the dynasty. Belichick led the Pats to six Super Bowls over 24 years at the helm, but the happy times appear to be over in Foxborough.
Belichick has decent odds in this spot, but is also linked to the Los Angeles Chargers job as well. At this stage in his career, Belichick will be looking to move to a team with a pre-built roster that he can turn into a winner, and fast. The 71-year-old is nearing the end of his reign atop the NFL and would like to see one final resurgence, similar to what Tom Brady experienced with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It may all be speculation as several chains of events need to unfold for these moves to be made on both sides, but there is certainly momentum building towards Belichick coaching somewhere else next season. What once seemed like a massive leap is now trending towards strongly possible, and more clarity will emerge after the Patriots decide on his future.
NFL Odds
