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Former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick intrigued by Miami Dolphins position

 

bjackson@miamiherald.com

Brian Billick, who won a Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens a decade ago, said Thursday he would potentially have interest in the Dolphins coaching job if approached.

Billick is on the Dolphins’ radar, according to several sources. But Billick said he has not yet been contacted.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins’ initial calls in their search to replace Tony Sparano were expected to be made to representatives for former Steelers coach Bill Cowher and former Titans coach Jeff Fisher, according to a person briefed on the situation.

That person said his understanding is that the Dolphins have either reached out to both men, or planned to shortly. Cowher has said publicly he does not plan to coach next season. His agent declined to say if the Dolphins have called, feeling no need to comment beyond what Cowher has already said.

Fisher’s agent has said he would be willing to listen to anyone about a coaching job.

As for Billick, he was asked Thursday if the Dolphins job would pique his interest.

“Yeah,” he said by phone. “The Dolphins are a marquee franchise. But at the end of the day, it’s the structure of what they put together.

“It has to be a partnership between the head coach, general manager and ownership with a very specific vision. The Dolphins are probably a long way from formulating their plans.”

Billick, who works as an analyst for Fox and NFL Network, said he doesn’t know general manager Jeff Ireland, “but they’ve done some good things there.”

He said he has spoken twice with owner Stephen Ross in recent years, but not about a job.

“I went to meet him in his office for the book I wrote a couple years ago,” Billick said. “He’s very impressive.”

Billick, 57, said he would be interested in coaching “in the right situation.” But it has to be one “with a shared vision.”

He said on NFL Network this week: “I know from my first job with [Ravens general manager] Ozzie Newsome that it’s a marriage. You’ve got to forge that relationship. ... It’s going to be interesting, of all the jobs that become available because there are a few of us with the ring out there.

“This is a GM’s league. A GM is going to step up and say, ‘I’m going to create a relationship with a guy that has got one of those rings and that bravado and that resume, that strength of personality.’ ’’

Billick said he sees strong building blocks on the Dolphins roster. “Mike Nolan was my defensive coordinator in Baltimore, and he has done a great job,” he said. “Do you have your quarterback? I don’t know that. This is a very good year to be in the market for a quarterback in the draft.”

When asked on NFL Network about the Jacksonville Jaguars’ open coaching job a couple of weeks ago, Billick cracked, “They’re looking for young and cheap, and I’m neither.” He said Thursday: “That was an off-handed comment. None of these guys are going to be cheap.”

Billick was 80-64 and made four playoff appearances in nine years as coach of the Ravens (1999-2007). In his second season, Baltimore — anchored by a dominating defense — won Super Bowl XXXV against the Giants. He was fired after going 5-11 in 2007, which followed a 13-3 season. In 1998, the last year of his seven-year tenure as offensive coordinator for the Vikings, Minnesota set the league single-season scoring record, since surpassed by New England.

Fisher, 53, was 142-120 in 17 years with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans before they parted ways after last season. He had six winning seasons, six losing seasons and one Super Bowl appearance (a loss).

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