Payton lands top award

Saturday, January 6th 2007, 2:27 pm

By: News On 6

NEW YORK (AP) The Associated Press has named Sean Payton of the New Orleans Saints as its NFL coach of the year. In his rookie season as a head coach, Payton led the vagabond Saints to the NFC South championship with a record of 10-6. A year ago the Saints were a mess, winning just 3 of 16 games as they fought the effects of Hurricane Katrina and what it did to New Orleans and in particular the Superdome.

Payton received 44 votes from a panel of sportscasters and writers while Eric Mangini of the New York Jets was second with three votes. San Diego's Marty Schottenheimer was given two and Tennessee's Jeff Fisher one.