Coordinating the best offense in the NFL is a good way to get noticed for head-coaching opportunities, as Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin is finding out.
Philbin is scheduled to interview with the Chiefs tonight, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. As we’ve previously noted, the Dolphins are also interested in interviewing Philbin. Whether Philbin gets an offer remains to be seen, but he’s one of the hot assistants this year.
If Philbin’s offense continues to play well in the postseason, it could actually work against his chances of getting a head-coaching job. Teams with head-coaching vacancies usually want their new coaches to get to work immediately, and so the assistant coaches who get to the Super Bowl are often at a disadvantage because impatient owners would rather hire a coach who can start now. Philbin wouldn’t be able to start until the Packers’ postseason is over.
The 50-year-old Philbin has been with the Packers since 2003 and was the offensive line coach before Mike McCarthy promoted him to offensive coordinator before the 2007 season.
Schefter reports that the Chiefs have already had several interviews, although they’re keeping the names of the other coaches they’re interviewing under wraps. Romeo Crennel, who went 2-1 as the Chiefs’ interim head coach at the end of the season, is a candidate to keep the job on a permanent basis.