Pats' Belichick selected NFL Coach of the Year

Bill Belichick owns three Super Bowl titles, and after leading the New England Patriots in his best coaching job, he was honored Saturday as The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year.

In a year of masterful coaching throughout the league, Belichick led the Patriots to the NFL's best record, 14-2. The Patriots, fighting off injuries almost from the outset of the schedule, won their final 12 games, setting franchise records for winning streak and victories in one year.

They did so in great part because of Belichick's brilliance as a game-planner, motivator and in-game strategist.

And they did so with a variety of starting lineups.

"We have had a number of different people," Belichick said. "It has been that kind of team.

"Again, I am not caught up on the big starter thing. ... I think all of the players have been active at one time or another. They have contributed in one way or another. So it has been a lot of different mixes through the course of the year from game to game, and from one part of the season, and so I guess that part of it has been maybe a trademark of this season."

Another trademark in 2003 was the strong coaching in many cities. Although seven head coaches either were fired or resigned, there was admirable work done by Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, Bill Parcells in Dallas, Andy Reid in Philadelphia, John Fox in Carolina, Tony Dungy in Indianapolis, Brian Billick in Baltimore and Dick Vermeil in Kansas City.

Belichick, with 35 1/2 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL, easily beat Lewis, who received seven votes. Parcells was next at 6 1/2 and Reid received one.

There was no indication at the beginning of the season that Belichick would be coach of the year or that the Patriots would be dominant. In a stunningly controversial move, Belichick cut starting safety Lawyer Milloy, who was picked up by Buffalo. The Bills then promptly spanked the Patriots 31-0 in the opener.

New England was 2-2 when it began the winning streak that carried it to the top of the standings.