Bucs to interview Wade Phillips

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will interview former Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress for their head coaching position on Monday, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

Tampa Bay will also interview Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips and a source told ESPN.com senior NFL writer John Clayton that the meeting will happen Friday.

"I'm gratified somebody noticed," Phillips told the Houston Chronicle. "We'll talk and see how much interest (Tampa Bay) has in me. I'm torn. I don't want to leave Houston. I love it here. But I'd like to get a chance to be a head coach again."

Phillips has transformed Houston's defense this season and is one of the main reasons for the Texans' first AFC South championship and first trip to the playoffs. He has been a head coach in Denver, Buffalo and Dallas.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is also a candidate, sources said, along with former Green Bay Packers and Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, who interviewed last week.

One source told Clayton last week that the team was also scheduled to interview current Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jerry Gray regarding the opening.

The Bucs fired Raheem Morris on Monday after three seasons. Morris went 17-31, including a 10-6 mark in 2010, when the Bucs narrowly missed the playoffs. His entire staff of assistants was dismissed, too.

Information from ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen, ESPN.com senior NFL analyst John Clayton and The Associated Press was used in this report.

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