MIAMI (AP) - Pushing ahead with his career in the wake of personal tragedy, Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin interviewed for the Miami Dolphins’ head coaching job for a second time Wednesday.
Philbin met with team owner Stephen Ross and general manager Jeff Ireland in New York City, where Ross has an office.
Philbin decided to remain in consideration despite his son’s recent drowning in a Wisconsin river. After spending a week away, Philbin rejoined the Packers on Sunday for their divisional playoff loss to the New York Giants.
“He’s a special, special human being,” Packers coach Mike McCarthy said Wednesday. “What Joe has gone through, and what his family has gone through, obviously tough is not the proper word. … His ability to come back meant a lot to all of us. It was not expected, it was not asked of him. But Joe’s a class act.”
Also scheduled for second interviews with Ross and Ireland in New York this week were Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and Todd Bowles, the Dolphins’ interim coach for their final three games this season.
The three coaches are finalists for the job after top choice Jeff Fisher turned down the Dolphins last Friday to become coach of the St. Louis Rams.
Philbin completed his first interview in South Florida on Jan. 7.
“I think he would make an excellent head coach,” McCarthy said. “I’ve said that before.”
Philbin has been with Green Bay since 2003 and has been offensive coordinator since 2007, although McCarthy calls plays. The Packers have ranked in the top 10 in the NFL in yardage each of the past five seasons, including third in 2011.
McCoy completed his first interview with Miami on Monday. He won praise for adapting the offense at midseason when Tim Tebow became the starting quarterback, and the Broncos made an improbable run to the second round of the playoffs before losing Saturday at New England.
The Oakland Raiders also have received permission from Denver to interview McCoy, and they interviewed Bowles.
Bowles was assistant head coach and secondary coach before taking over the Dolphins when they fired Tony Sparano last month with three games to go in his fourth season as coach. Bowles became the sixth coach since 2004 for the Dolphins, who finished 6-10 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2000.
After being rejected by Fisher, Ross said the team planned to interview several more candidates. But they may want to move more quickly now that the Indianapolis Colts are looking for a coach. The Colts fired Jim Caldwell on Tuesday.
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AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins in Green Bay, Wis., contributed to this report.
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