The new Miami Dolphins coach said he is ready to lead the team to victory.
Joe Philbin, who is the 10th head coach to lead the team in its 46-year history, is in a position vacated by eight since Hall of Fame coach Don Shula retired.
Philbin became accustomed to winning as the offensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers, and said he’s excited to work for another legacy team.
“I feel very privileged to have been nine years with the Packers, and I feel honored to be the head football coach of the Miami Dolphins,” he said.
Although the Dolphins finished 6-10 last season and haven’t won a playoff game in more than a decade, he still believes he can make a change.
“I'm very confident that if you look at my track record at the various places I’ve been, hopefully I’ve made players a little bit better,” he said.
Philbin made another big change when he moved to Miami following the death of his son. He told NBC 6 that his family was the source of his strength.
“We came under some unique circumstances,” he said. “It wasn't easy, but we looked at each other in the eye and asked each other if we’re ready for this. Some of my children have spurred me on to keep pushing forward.”
Now Philbin is pushing for greatness with a new team.
There has been a lot of talk about the quarterback position since Dan Marino retired. The Dolphins have encountered a quarterback controversy every year since 2000 and have gone through 16 starting quarterbacks.
When asked if he saw quarterback potential in the upcoming season, Philbin expressed no doubt.
“Oh absolutely,” he said. “We’re going to have very good quarterback play. I think we're going to be in good shape.”
Philbin, who was hired in January, is fiercely protective of his family and lives and breathes football. He told NBC 6 that he hasn’t been out much since the move, hasn’t tried Cuban coffee and has yet to find a favorite Latin dish.
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“I like to spend time with my family,” he said. “I love the Atlantic Ocean. I’ve been able to dip in twice since I’ve been here.”
Philbin is also happy with the recent Miami Heat success.
“I'm pulling for them,” he said. “I'm a fan and I hope they go the whole way.”
He’d said he'd like to bring a Dolphins championship to the city and join the Heat as headline-making teams.
“I don’t know coach Spoelstra personally, but I did go to one game soon after I arrived and I had a chance to meet coach Riley and visit with him briefly," he said. "I think it’s good for all of us. We are all in the same community and it’d be great for all of us to have tremendous success.”
Tremendous success would mean a Super Bowl championship for the Dolphins franchise, a prize that has eluded the team for almost four decades.
“Oh yeah, we'll get a couple of those, absolutely," Philbin said.
