Parcells Voted Coach of Year for Bringing Success to Patriots

The one thing Bill Parcells discourages is rampant optimism. Yet how could any team be anything but positive with Parcells as its coach?

In his second season with the New England Patriots, Parcells guided the team to a 10-6 record, a wild-card playoff berth and won the 1994 coach of the year award from the Associated Press

Parcells, the first Patriot coach to win the award, also won the honor in 1986 with the New York Giants. He received 29 votes from a nationwide panel of 98 sportswriters and broadcasters, beating out Bill Cowher of Pittsburgh, who got 25 votes, and Dave Wannstedt of Chicago with 22.

“I’m gratified by any selection,” Parcells said. “But I know deep in my heart it’s always just a reflection of the whole organization’s work and some good players and a dedicated coaching staff. I’m the beneficiary of those results.”

The Patriots were 1-11 last season, then ran off a four-game winning streak to end 1993. They were 3-6 this year and losing, 20-0, to Minnesota when everything suddenly jelled. New England came back to win that game and the next six to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in eight years.