BetOnline Looks at NFL's 'Toughest' Fans, Plus Merriman on Staley, Belichick Futures
Former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman agrees with public sentiment that this will be Bill Belichick's last season in Foxborough.
"I think Belichick is done in New England after this season," Merriman told BetOnline.ag in an interview. "I could see him going to the Commanders but the price tag he will demand is going to be quite hefty that I'm not sure most teams would be able or willing to shell it out."
As far as Merriman's former team and its current coach, he thinks Brandon Staley will be canned as soon as the Chargers are eliminated from the playoffs, but could save his job if they make the playoffs. Staley is the favorite (odds below) to be fired next.
Regarding Staley's replacement in L.A., Merriman is hoping two familiar names will be in the conversation.
"If Staley is removed as head coach, two names that I'd like to see considered for the job are Jim Harbaugh and Bill Belichick, even though I believe coaching in this day and age has passed Belichick up," Merriman said.
There are odds for Belichick’s replacement below, as well as his next coaching spot.
When asked about the tight Defensive Player of the Year race, Merriman said that Micah Parsons "is the clear winner because of his versatile use all over the field, but I believe the most consistent defensive player this year has been TJ Watt."
Parson is currently a -125 favorite for the award, while Myles Garrett is second (+160) and TJ Watt third (+575).
In other NFL odds news, a fun market has been created around Cowboys rookie kicker sensation, Brandon Aubrey.
Aubrey dazzled the Dallas fans on Sunday Night Football this past week, and hasn't missed a field goal all season (and now 3000/1 odds for OROY!). Super Bowl champion Harrison Butker hasn't missed either, so there are some odds surrounding those anomalies.
Finally, the marketing team at BetOnline asked ChatGPT-4 to rank NFL fanbases in order of "toughness." The ranking is based on a mix of historical team characteristics, fan loyalty and the general aura associated with each team's city or region.
For example, When we asked it to clarify why Pittsburgh was #1, GPT-4 said: Due to the team's historical legacy of physical, hard-hitting football, Pittsburgh's blue color identity, general fan loyalty and passion, and ability to deal with harsh weather conditions.
The results shouldn't be all that surprising.
Top 5 Toughest
1. Steelers
2. Packers
3. Bears
4. Eagles
5. Raiders
Bottom 5 Toughest
1. Jaguars
2. Chargers
3. Bengals
4. Rams
5. Cardinals
- BetOnline Press
