Pat Shurmur voted Assistant Coach of the Year by the PFWA

If Pat Shurmur, as expected, becomes the 18th head coach of the New York Giants he will do so after having been honored as 2017 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year in voting conducted by the Pro Football Writers of America.

Shurmur, the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, is expected to become Giants’ head coach whenever Minnesota’s season ends. The Vikings face the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship game this weekend.

Shurmur took over as Vikings offensive coordinator in 2017 after serving in that role on an interim basis over the final nine games of 2016. The Vikings offense finished 11th in the NFL in yards per game (358.9), had 68 plays of 20-plus yards (seventh in the league), including 15 on the ground, and had 12 scoring drives of 80-plus yards, eight more than in 2016.

The Vikings accomplished that despite losing starting quaterback Sam Bradford and starting running back to injuries early in the season. Shurmur coaxed a career season out of journeyman quarterback Case Keenum, who stepped into the starting role for 14 games and completed 67.6 percent of his passes (second in the NFL), threw for 22 touchdowns against only seven interceptions and had a career-best 98.3 passer rating.

Sean McVay, is his first season leading the Los Angeles Rams, was named Coach of the Year. Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles was named Executive of the Year.