Lewis named top coach

Lewis awards the The Associated Press 2009 NFL Coach of the Year for leading his team to the playoffs during a season marked by tragedy. He may has much to do more than game plans.

The Bengles got the AFC North with a 10-6 record which was their second division title since 1990. And both of them are under Lewis. They did so despite the deaths of wide reciver Chris Henry and Vikki Zimmer, the wife of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Several players' families were affected by the tsunami in the Samoan Islands. So it's so difficult to hold his team tightly under such circumstances. But he made it.

"I'm flattered," said Lewis, whose seventh season as Bengals coach ended with a 24-14 home loss to the Jets in the wild-card round. "I never took any credibility to it, that it could occur, but I am flattered. I would trade it to still be playing. All the players with the bengals jerseys supported him.