Chiefs To Interview Packers OC Philbin

Added on Jan 04, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

The hunt for the next Kansas City Chiefs head coach is in full swing. Interim coach Romeo Crennel isn’t out of the running, but general manager Scott Pioli will leave no stone unturned before making a final decision. One of those stones belongs to Joe Philbin. Who? Joe Philbin, the Packers offensive coordinator, that’s who. The same guy who helped engineer Green Bay’s top ranked scoring offense.

The 50-year-old Philbin is a hot name for those teams in search of a new head coach. He is also being considered by the Dolphins and possibly others. He’s been on the Packers staff since 2003, serving as offensive line and tight ends coach prior to being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2007.

During his tenure, Philbin’s offenses have never finished outside the Top 10 in scoring. However, it’s fair to wonder how much of the success can be attributed to him. Mike McCarthy, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers and a talented wide receiving corps certainly contributed.

It’s also fair to question whether an offensive coordinator for a high-scoring offense is the right candidate to be a head coach. Josh McDaniels was at the controls of the Patriots record-breaking 2007 unit, but his time in Denver proved to be an unmitigated disaster. In other words, buyer beware.

Whoever Kansas City hires will have to sort out the quarterback situation in 2012. Matt Cassel and Kyle Orton could find themselves in a heated training camp competition. Neither is in the elite category, but both have posted decent numbers over the last few seasons.

The health of running back Jamaal Charles is also a concern. The Chiefs running game stalled badly after his Week 2 ACL tear. He’s on track to be ready for the preseason, but it’s unlikely his surgically repaired knee will be completely healed. That could be problematic for a player who relies on quick cuts and breakaway speed,

The Chiefs finished 7-9 in 2011 and haven’t won a playoff game since 1993.

Source: ESPN.com