Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coaching position, according to multiple reports.
Phillips was scheduled to interview with the Bucs in Houston on Friday evening.
"I want to be here, that's what it really came down to," Phillips told Mark Berman of KRIV-TV FOX 26 Houston. "I didn't want to be a distraction whatsoever, whether that was perceived or not. People talking about you interviewing on your day off and all that stuff, if you don't do well, always people are going to say that was a distraction. I sure don't want to be a distraction for this team at this time."
Before deciding not to pursue the Bucs job, Phillips said Thursday afternoon that his first priority was to be with the Texans.
"I like it here," he said. "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. I may not be their (Tampa's) choice, either, but I am gonna interview and take it from there."**
Meanwhile, the 64-year-old Phillips continues to make progress in his recovery from Dec. 15 kidney and gallbladder surgery. He has not ruled out the possibility of coaching from the sideline on Sunday when the Texans face the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.
Phillips coached from the press box in the regular-season finale against Tennessee and in last Saturday's Wild Card victory over Cincinnati.
"You know, I'm not sure," Phillips said Thursday about whether he'll once again be in the press box. "We haven't decided on that, so this week was kind of a test as far as how we were doing."
The Texans practiced in 40-degree weather on Thursday at the Methodist Training Center, after which Phillips quipped "I'm colder than I was last week, but I feel better."
Head coach Gary Kubiak has noticed Phillips' health steadily improving.
"I think he's getting stronger every day," Kubiak said. "We take a chair out to practice so he gets a break in between periods, but I think Coach has gotten stronger. His day's gotten longer throughout the course of this week. Just excited to see him getting back to full health, and I know the players are great to have him back around throughout the course of the day, practice and everything we're doing."
Phillips said the calls are the same whether he makes them from the press box or the sideline, but he has always preferred to coach from the field.
"It's just being in the game more with the players," he said. "I think once things don't go well, you can help, and once things are going real well, you can settle them down and get back to, you know, 'Hey, let's play what we're playing and do what we're supposed to do, and good things will happen for us.'"
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