NFL head coach preseason betting records may not tell the full story, but they give a pretty good idea of which teams will compete come August. If you're laying units on preseason action, understanding how each NFL coach approaches the preseason is a crucial nugget.
Many coaches buck the trend of leaving starters rooted to the bench, preferring to keep their guys prepped and ready for the journey to come. While others are more cautious and keep all of their stars out of the crosshairs.
Keep in mind this is the third season in which there are just three preseason games instead of four, so this year's Week 3 will act more like the traditional Week 4 from an NFL betting perspective, and the final tune-up before the regular season kicks off. Below, I'll break down each and every NFL head coach's preseason history on the hunt for some value in the 2024 edition.
NFL Head Coach Preseason Betting Records
| Coach | ATS Record | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Reid | 45-45-4 | 8-14-2 | 14-8-1 | 13-11 | 10-10-1 |
| John Harbaugh | 40-20 | 14-2 | 8-7 | 9-5 | 9-3 |
| Mike Tomlin | 36-30-1 | 10-6-1 | 9-8 | 9-7 | 8-7 |
| Mike McCarthy | 29-32-2 | 6-11 | 11-5 | 8-7-1 | 4-8-1 |
| Sean Payton | 29-30 | 8-8 | 6-9 | 11-3 | 4-9 |
| Sean McDermott | 13-9 | 4-3 | 4-2 | 2-4 | 3-0 |
| Jim Harbaugh | 10-6 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 5-3 | 4-0 |
| Kyle Shanahan | 11-10-1 | 4-3 | 3-2-1 | 3-3 | 1-2 |
| Doug Pederson | 12-12 | 3-4 | 4-2 | 3-3 | 2-2 |
| Sean McVay | 10-11-1 | 3-4 | 3-2-1 | 3-3 | 1-2 |
| Todd Bowles | 11-13 | 3-4 | 3-4 | 3-3 | 2-2 |
| Dennis Allen | 9-11 | 2-3 | 2-3 | 2-2 | 1-2 |
| Robert Saleh | 8-3 | 4-0 | 2-1 | 2-1 | 0-0 |
| Zac Taylor | 6-6 | 1-3 | 4-0 | 1-2 | 0-1 |
| Dan Quinn | 6-14-1 | 1-5 | 1-4 | 0-5 | 3-2 |
| Kevin Stefanski | 5-3-1 | 2-1 | 1-1-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Matt LaFleur | 6-8 | 3-2 | 1-3 | 1-3 | 1-0 |
| Matt Eberflus | 7-1 | 3-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-0 |
| Raheem Morris | 5-7 | 1-2 | 3-3 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Mike McDaniel | 4-3 | 2-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Nick Sirianni | 2-5-1 | 1-2 | 0-2-1 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Dan Campbell | 3-6-1 | 1-3 | 1-1-1 | 1-2 | 0-0 |
| Jonathan Gannon | 2-1 | 1-0 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Shane Steichen | 2-2 | 0-2 | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| DeMeco Ryans | 3-2 | 2-0 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 0-0 |
| Kevin O'Connell | 2-5 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Brian Daboll | 1-6 | 1-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| Jared Mayo | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Mike MacDonald | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Antonio Pierce | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Brian Callahan | 1-0 | 1-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Dave Canales | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
The above chart is sorted by all-time preseason wins, so naturally the most experienced coaches rise to the top. But, diving into the preseason betting trends a bit further, here are some takeaways:
Baltimore's Harbaugh Is a Preseason Legend
Maybe it's Baltimore's depth? Maybe it's coaching? Maybe it's straight luck? Whatever it is, the Baltimore Ravens under John Harbaugh have been an absolute wagon during the NFL's preseason. They're 40-20 against the spread all-time and have lost just three times since 2015.
There are few people I trust more than John Harbaugh in the preseason, so take his impressive record into consideration when betting on the NFL preseason this year.
Fade Brian Daboll's Giants in Preseason
The Giants have been a mixed bag under Brian Daboll, overachieving to win nine games during his first season at the helm, before faltering under a plethora of injuries to finish 6-11 last year.
However, they've been awful in the preseason, going 1-6 ATS. Experienced backup quarterbacks Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito give the G-Men a chance to finally break that streak this season, but be aware of Daboll's prior history in August before making your wagers.
Other coaches to target:
- Matt Eberflus-solid 7-1 ATS in the preseason
- Robert Saleh-now 8-3 ATS in the preseason
