SAN FRANCISCO - Denver Broncos defensive co-ordinator Wade Phillips has won The Associated Press NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Phillips built a defence that ranked first in the league and which is greatly responsible for the Broncos making the Super Bowl. He earned 16 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the league.

The second winner of the honour — current Jets coach Todd Bowles won the inaugural award while defensive co-ordinator for Arizona last year — Phillips received twice as many votes as the runner-up, Cincinnati offensive co-ordinator Hue Jackson, now head coach of the Browns. Carolina offensive co-ordinator Mike Shula got seven votes.

Phillips, previously a head coach in Denver, Buffalo and Dallas and interim coach in New Orleans, Atlanta and Houston, was presented the award at NFL Honors on Saturday night.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL