ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Wade Phillips is returning to Denver as Gary Kubiak’s defensive coordinator.

Phillips, 67, interviewed for the position this week after the Broncos were rebuffed in their attempts to speak with Bengals secondary coach Vance Joseph about the position. Joseph, who has a year left on his contract in Cincinnati, had interviewed for the Broncos head coaching vacancy following John Fox’s ouster earlier this month.

Phillips was Kubiak’s defensive coordinator in Houston from 2011-13 and replaced him as interim coach when Kubiak was fired by the Texans in December 2013.

Phillips has also served as head coach of the Saints, Cowboys, Falcons, Bills and Broncos, where he went 16-16 from 1993-94. He was out of football last season for the first time since 1975.

Under Phillips, the Broncos figure to capitalize on their pass-rushing duo of Pro Bowlers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware by playing more of a 3-4 defense, with three down linemen and four linebackers.

Under Fox the last four seasons they were primarily a 4-3 team.

Taking on an added urgency under such a switch would be the re-signing of soon-to-be free agent nose tackle Terrance “Pot Roast” Knighton because the fulcrum of a 3-4 alignment is a stout run-stuffer who can command double teams.

Knighton has said he wants to finish his career in Denver, but he’s also said he wants to keep playing for Jack Del Rio, who was hired as Oakland’s head coach after the Broncos bowed out of the playoffs. Del Rio drafted Knighton in Jacksonville and was his defensive coordinator in Denver.