Dallas’ Jason Garrett, who led the Cowboys to a 13-3 record and the NFC’s No. 1 seed, was selected as the 2016 NFL Coach of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie, whose moves helped the Raiders reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002 with a 12-4 record, was selected as the 2016 NFL Executive of the Year.
Atlanta offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, whose oversaw a Falcons offense that scored a NFL-best and franchise record 540 points on the way to a 11-5 record and the NFC’s No. 2 seed, was selected as the 2016 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
The Cowboys ran off a club-record 11 consecutive victories on the way to the club’s first NFC East title since 2014 and a nine-game improvement from a 4-12 record in 2015, the largest one-season turnaround in club history. Thanks to 2016 PFWA Rookie of the Year/Offensive Rookie of the Year and All-NFL selection Ezekiel Elliott at running back, PFWA All-Rookie team member Dak Prescott at quarterback and one of the top offensive lines in the NFL (three linemen – center Travis Frederick, guard Zack Martin and tackle Tyron Smith were selected to the PFWA’s All-NFL team), the Cowboys tied the club record for victories. Dallas was fifth in scoring average at 26.3 points per game, Elliott led the league in rushing yards (1,631), Prescott threw for 23 touchdowns against only four interceptions and the Cowboys were second in the NFL in rushing offense (149.8 yards per game). On defense, the Cowboys held opponents to a league-low 83.5 yards per game and a fifth-lowest 19.1 opponent scoring average.
This is the first PFWA Coach of the Year honor for Garrett and the third Coach of the Year honor for the Dallas franchise. Tom Landry was the PFWA’s first Coach of the Year in 1966 and was the NFC Coach of the Year in 1975 (the PFWA selected separate AFL/NFL and AFC/NFC winners from 1967-89).
The Raiders continued their climb from a 7-9 season in 2015 that followed a 3-13 season in 2014 to make the playoffs for the first time since 2002, when Oakland won the AFC title and advanced to the Super Bowl. McKenzie was hired as the Raiders’ GM in January 2012, and oversaw significant changes in the organization’s scouting, player personnel and football operations departments. Three straight first-round picks: defensive end Khalil Mack in 2014, wide receiver Amari Cooper in 2015 and safety Karl Joseph in 2016 were PFWA All-Rookie team selections, while Mack was the 2016 PFWA Defensive Player of the Year and an All-NFL selection. Quarterback Derek Carr, a second-round pick in 2014, has become the club’s franchise quarterback, while 11 players drafted in the fourth round or later since 2013 have made significant contributions. The Raiders signed four key unrestricted free agents in 2016: PFWA All-NFL guard Kelechi Osemele, linebacker Bruce Irvin, safety Reggie Nelson and cornerback Sean Smith, to go with wide receiver and 2015 unrestricted free agent signee Michael Crabtree. The Raiders had four 2016 PFWA All-AFC team selections (center Rodney Hudson, Mack, Osemele and tackle Donald Penn).
McKenzie is the second member of the Raiders organization to earn the PFWA’s Executive of the Year award since it was established in 1993, and the first since Al Davis won the 2002 award.
Shanahan oversaw a prolific Falcons offense that led the league in points with 540, which tied with the 2000 St. Louis Rams for the eighth-most season points scored all-time and 6,653 total offense yards, which is the 13th-most in a NFL season. Atlanta was second in the NFL in yards per game (a franchise-record 415.8), third in passing (295.3 yards per game) and fifth in rushing (120.5 yards per game). Quarterback Matt Ryan, who set franchise records in several categories and threw touchdown passes to a NFL-record 13 different receivers, was the 2016 PFWA NFL Most Valuable Player and an All-NFL selection. Wide receiver Julio Jones was also an All-NFL selection after a season in which he finished second in the NFL in receiving yards (1,409) and fourth in reception average at 17.0 yards per catch. Running back Devonta Freeman rushed for 1,079 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Shanahan is the first Falcons assistant to win the PFWA award established in 1993.
2016 COACH OF THE YEAR: Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys
2016 EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: Reggie McKenzie, Oakland Raiders
2016 ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: Kyle Shanahan, Atlanta Falcons
PFWA NFL COACH OF THE YEAR: 1966– Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys; 1967 AFL – John Rauch, Oakland Raiders; 1967 NFL – Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers; 1968 AFL – Weeb Eubank, New York Jets; 1968 NFL – Don Shula, Baltimore Colts; 1969 AFL – John Madden, Oakland Raiders; 1969 NFL – Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings; 1970 AFC – Paul Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; 1970 NFC – Dick Nolan, San Francisco 49ers; 1971 AFC – Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; 1971 NFC – George Allen, Washington Redskins; 1972 AFC – Don Shula, Miami Dolphins; 1972 NFC – Dan Devine, Green Bay Packers; 1973 AFC – John Ralston, Denver Broncos; 1973 NFC – Chuck Knox, Los Angeles Rams; 1974 AFC – Sid Gilman, Houston Oilers; 1974 NFC – Don Coryell, St. Louis Cardinals; 1975 AFC – Ted Marchibroda, Baltimore Colts; 1975 NFC – Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys; 1976 AFC – Chuck Fairbanks, New England Patriots; 1976 NFC – Jack Pardee, Chicago Bears; 1977 AFC – Red Miller, Denver Broncos; 1977 NFC – Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; 1978 AFC – Walt Michaels, New York Jets; 1978 NFC – Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles; 1979 AFC – Don Coryell, San Diego Chargers; 1979 NFC – Dick Vermeil, Philadelphia Eagles; 1980 AFC – Chuck Knox, Buffalo Bills; 1980 NFC – Leeman Bennett, Atlanta Falcons; 1981 AFC – Forrest Gregg, Cincinnati Bengals; 1981 NFC – Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers; 1982 AFC – Tom Flores, Los Angeles Raiders; 1982 NFC – Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins; 1983 AFC – Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1983 NFC – Joe Gibbs, Washington Redskins; 1984 AFC – Chuck Knox, Seattle Seahawks; 1984 NFC – Bill Walsh, San Francisco 49ers; 1985 AFC – Raymond Berry, New England Patriots; 1985 NFC – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears; 1986 AFC – Marty Schottenheimer, Cleveland Browns; 1986 NFC – Bill Parcells, New York Giants; 1987 AFC – Ron Meyer, New England Patriots; 1987 NFC – Jim Mora, New Orleans Saints; 1988 AFC – Sam Wyche, Cincinnati Bengals; 1988 NFC – Mike Ditka, Chicago Bears; 1989 AFC – Chuck Noll, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1989 NFC – Lindy Infante, Green Bay Packers; 1990 – Art Shell, Los Angeles Raiders; 1991 – Wayne Fontes, Detroit Lions; 1992 – Bobby Ross, San Diego Chargers; 1993 – Dan Reeves, New York Giants; 1994 – Bill Parcells, New England Patriots; 1995 – Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers; 1996 – Dom Capers, Carolina Panthers; 1997 – Jim Fassel, New York Giants; 1998 – Dan Reeves, Atlanta Falcons; 1999 – Dick Vermeil, St. Louis Rams; 2000 – Jim Haslett, New Orleans Saints; 2001 – Dick Jauron, Chicago Bears; 2002 – Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles; 2003 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2004 – Marty Schottenheimer, San Diego Chargers; 2005 – Lovie Smith, Chicago Bears; 2006 – Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints; 2007 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2008 – Tony Sparano, Miami Dolphins; 2009 – Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals; 2010 – Bill Belichick, New England Patriots; 2011 – Jim Harbaugh, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 – Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; 2014 – Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals; 2015 – Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers; 2016 – Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys.
PFWA EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR: 1993 – George Young, New York Giants; 1994 – Carmen Policy, San Francisco 49ers; 1995 – Bill Polian, Carolina Panthers; 1996 – Bill Polian, Carolina Panthers; 1997 – George Young, New York Giants; 1998 – Front Office, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2000 – Randy Mueller, New Orleans Saints; 2001 – Charley Armey, St. Louis Rams; 2002 – Al Davis, Oakland Raiders; 2003 – Scott Pioli, New England Patriots; 2004 – A.J. Smith, San Diego Chargers; 2005 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2006 – Mickey Loomis, New Orleans Saints; 2007 – Scott Pioli, New England Patriots; 2008 – Bill Parcells, Miami Dolphins; 2009 – Bill Polian, Indianapolis Colts; 2010 – Scott Pioli, Kansas City Chiefs; 2011 – Trent Baalke, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 – Ryan Grigson, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – John Dorsey, Kansas City Chiefs; 2014 – Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys; 2015 – Mike Maccagnan, New York Jets; 2016 – Reggie McKenzie, Oakland Raiders.
PFWA ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR: 1993 – Ray Rhodes, Green Bay Packers; 1994 – Dom Capers, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1995 – Pete Carroll, San Francisco 49ers; 1996 – Dave Campo, Dallas Cowboys; 1997 – John Fox, New York Giants; 1998 – Brian Billick, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 – Dom Capers, Jacksonville Jaguars; 2000 – Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals; 2001 – Mike Mularkey, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2002 – Monte Kiffin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2003 – Romeo Crennel, New England Patriots; 2004 – Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2005 – Ron Rivera, Chicago Bears; 2006 – Rex Ryan, Baltimore Ravens; 2007 – Jason Garrett, Dallas Cowboys; 2008 – Dick LeBeau, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2009 – Mike Zimmer, Cincinnati Bengals; 2010 – Marty Mornhinweg, Philadelphia Eagles; 2011 – Wade Phillips, Houston Texans; 2012 – Bruce Arians, Indianapolis Colts; 2013 – Ken Whisenhunt, San Diego Chargers; 2014 – Todd Bowles, Arizona Cardinals; 2015 – (tie) Hue Jackson, Cincinnati Bengals and Wade Phillips, Denver Broncos; 2016 – Kyle Shanahan, Atlanta Falcons.
