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

Phillips built a defense 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 honor - current Jets coach Todd Bowles won the inaugural award while defensive coordinator for Arizona last year - Phillips received twice as many votes as the runner-up, Cincinnati offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, now head coach of the Browns. Carolina offensive coordinator 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.