Bengals' Lewis named coach of the year

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis has been named the NFL Coach of the Year by the Associated Press.

Lewis guided the Bengals to a 10-6 record and AFC North title in a season marked by tragedy for the team. In September, several players with ties to Samoa were affected by a tsunami there, and in October, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, Vikki, died suddenly. On December 17, wide receiver Chris Henry died from injuries he suffered after falling out of the back of a pickup truck.

Through all that, the Bengals made a perfect run through the AFC North to take their first division title since 2005, and second since 1990. The 2009 season came on the heels of a 2008 campaign in which Cincinnati went 4-11-1.

Lewis, who has been Cincinnati's head coach since 2003, becomes the second Bengals coach to win the award, joining franchise founder Paul Brown, who won in 1970.