The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the National Football League (NFL) head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the Associated Press (AP), although in the past several awards received press recognition.[1][2][3] First presented in 1957, the AP award also gave out an award to coaches of the American Football League (AFL) from 1961 to 1969. The Sporting News has given a pro football coach of the year award since 1947 and in 1949 gave its award to a non-NFL coach, Paul Brown of the All-America Football Conference's Cleveland Browns. Other NFL Coach of the Year awards are presented by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America and the Maxwell Football Club. The United Press International (UPI) NFL Coach of the Year award was first presented in 1955. From 1960 to 1969, before the AFL–NFL merger, an award was also given to the most outstanding coach from the AFL. When the leagues merged in 1970, separate awards were given to the best coaches from the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). The UPI discontinued the awards after 1996.
^Dean, Jimmy (April 6, 1975). "Big Red's Coryell impresses Logan crowd". Southern Illinoisan. p. 11. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. Coryell drew much praise from his peers this year by being named NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press, the Sporting News, United Press International and Pro Football Weekly.
^"Hank Stram due here for WT coach clinic". The Canyon News. January 29, 1970. p. 11. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. He has been named AFL coach of the year in 1966 (Associated Press and Washington Touchdown Club), 1968 (AP, Unit Press, Washington Touchdown Club, Pro Football Weekly), and 1969 (Washington Touchdown Club). The Rockne Football Club, picking from both the AFL and NFL, named him pro football coach of the year in 1961 and 1966.
^"Chuck Knox Wins Juniata Alumni Achievement Award". Tyrone Daily Herald. April 12, 1974. p. 6. Retrieved April 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com. He was named coach of the year by the AP, UPI, Pro Football Weekly, the Pro Football Writers Association and the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., among others.
^"Colt's Ewbank Coach of Year". Miami Daily News-Record. United Press International. January 6, 1959. p. 4. Retrieved March 9, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Bears' George Halas Coach Of Year". The Delta Democrat-Times. United Press International. December 18, 1963. p. 9. Retrieved March 21, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Gergen, Joe (December 27, 1966). "Tom Landry Lands Coach Of Year Cup". The News-Herald. United Press International. p. 15. Retrieved March 22, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^"Landry selected UPI Coach of Year". The Waxahachie Daily Light. United Press International. January 2, 1976. p. 4. Retrieved March 22, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
