Pilgrim outfit unlikely for Philbin pep talk

DAVIE, Fla. (AP) -- Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin, who once donned a pilgrim's outfit to motivate his team, says he's still preparing his first pregame pep talk as a head coach.

It'll come before Sunday's season opener at Houston.

"I have some ideas," the former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator said Thursday. "There are a couple of things I'm toying around with. It'll be different from some of my famous ones in Green Bay. I've got to change up a little bit. I can't be quite like I was when I was an assistant."

A native of Massachusetts, Philbin said he gave speeches related to the Boston Marathon and Paul Revere when he was with the Packers. But his best-remembered talk probably came before a Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit.

"I dressed like a pilgrim," he said. "Was it my decision? Absolutely. I sent my wife out to the costume store. I had the buckles and the big hat and the whole bit. The real point was we've got to stick together like a family and play like a team."

Point taken: The Packers won.

And how did Philbin look? That must be left to the imagination.

"There are no photos," he said. "I took care of that."

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)