DALLAS – Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots won The Associated Press Coach of the Year award Wednesday for the third time.

Belichick, who also won in 2003 and 2007, now trails only Don Shula, a four-time winner.

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Bill Belichick, who basically rebuilt the New England Patriots’ defense this season while winning 14 regular-season games, was named the NFL Coach of the Year. The Associated Press

For leading the Patriots to a 14-2 record, the best in the league, Belichick received 30 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. That easily beat Raheem Morris, who led a turnaround in Tampa Bay and got 11½ votes.

Belichick has overseen a transition in New England to a younger team, particularly on defense. Of course, he still has Tom Brady, the Offensive Player of the Year, at quarterback.

“I will say the foundation of the Patriots’ organization, which starts with Mr. Kraft and Coach Belichick, has not changed since the day I arrived,” Brady said.

“They have and will always do what is in the best interest of the team, and they will continue to find selfless players that love to work hard, compete and strive to be the best they can possibly be.”

Then Belichick makes them even better.

“He really stays on top of us,” wide receiver Wes Welker said. “He makes sure that we’re not getting overconfident or believing in the noise outside the locker room and understand that every game’s tough in the NFL.”

Belichick’s record with the Patriots is 126-50, plus a 14-5 mark in the postseason, with losses in the last three tries with teams that went a collective 40-8. His career winning percentage of .716 ranks eighth, tied with Hall of Famer Paul Brown, and no other coach has four 14-victory regular seasons.

This might have been Belichick’s most impressive work as the Patriots retooled much of the roster, yet had a dominant regular season in which they won their final eight games.

“When you have so many things that go into a team, so many things that go into what’s happened over the last decade, which ones do you point to?” he said.

“You can make an argument for a lot of different things. In the end it’s each individual team and that collection of players that particular year and that particular time during the season or whatever it is, that was able to go out there and be successful.”

Belichick basically rebuilt the defense, particularly the secondary, where rookie Devin McCourty made the Pro Bowl.

He showed confidence in BenJarvus Green-Ellis as his main running back, and Green-Ellis rushed for 1,008 yards.

Belichick claimed Danny Woodhead when the Jets cut him, and Woodhead was a dynamic piece of the offense and special teams.

Then there was the Randy Moss case.

Eager to remove the recalcitrant receiver, Belichick stole a third-round draft pick from Minnesota in early October for Moss, who lasted a month with the Vikings, then was cut.

Meanwhile, Belichick traded with Seattle for Deion Branch, the 2005 Super Bowl MVP with the Patriots. Branch had a rebirth in New England, making the Moss deal look even better.

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STEELERS: Center Maurkice Pouncey sat out practice with a high ankle sprain but still expects to play in the Super Bowl.

TITANS: Tennessee received permission to talk with Mike Mularkey, Gregg Williams and Perry Fewell as coaching candidates to replace Jeff Fisher.

AN ARBITRATOR denied a grievance by the NFL Players Association that sought to make teams pay health insurance premiums for active players after the current labor deal expires March 3.

EAGLES: Juan Castillo, who spent 13 seasons as the offensive line coach, is Philadelphia’s new defensive coordinator.

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