BY ROY CUMMINGS
The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA – A day before he was scheduled to interview for the Buccaneers head coach’s job, Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips pulled himself out of contention Thursday.

Phillips, 64, was scheduled to interview for the Bucs job following the Texans practice in Houston on Friday, but he called Bucs general manager Mark Dominik early Thursday evening and told him he was pulling out.

The notification from Phillips, who told Dominik he feared the interview would be a distraction to the Texans, came shortly after Phillips said during an afternoon press conference that he preferred to stay in Houston anyway.

“My first priority is to be here, “Phillips said. “I like it here. I love it here. We’ve had such a magical year and we’re going to keep it going so that’s my first choice.’’
Phillips was one of several veteran head coaches being considered for the job that opened up Jan. 2 when the Bucs fired Raheem Morris following a 4-12 finish that included 10 straight losses to end the season.

The Bucs have already interviewed Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray and former NFL coaches Mike Shermman, Marty Schottenheimer and Brad Childress for the job.

  The Bucs sought permission to speak to Phillips two weeks ago, Phillips said, and scheduled the interview for late Friday in Houston so that it would not interfere with Phillips preparations for Sunday’s playoff game at Baltimore.

Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said earlier in the week that the timing of the interview would keep it from being a distraction for his team and Phillips echoed those same sentiments following the Texans practice Thursday.

  “We (have known about the interview) for two weeks,’’ Phillips said Thursday afternoon. “We didn’t let it be a distraction the week before so it won’t be a distraction this week either.”

Phillips said during the news conference that he intended to go through with the interview and that he planned to “take it from there’’ with the Bucs. After meeting again with Texans officials, however, he called Dominik and bowed out.

An interview with Phillips for a later date has not been scheduled and a source with knowledge of the Bucs search strategy said late Thursday no subsequent interview with Phillips is planned.

Phillips was the last known candidate scheduled for an interview, but the source said the search for a replacement for Morris will likely continue with further interviews of other candidates.

Phillips name first surfaced as a candidate last Sunday. He has an 82-59 regular-season record as a head coach but has won just one of six playoff games. Had Phillips joined the Bucs, he might have sparked a change in defensive philosophies.

Phillips has traditionally run a three-lineman, four-linebacker alignment. The Bucs have traditionally employed a 4-3 alignment, though the Bucs did incorporate some 3-4 principles into their defensive scheme under Morris.

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