Doing great work with the Arizona Cardinals defense. I don't know how many people preferred him over Philbin but he's gonna be a head coach soon. Via Peter King's MMQB: http://mmqb.si.com/2014/09/23/arizona-cardinals-defense-todd-bowles/
We need a coach with actual head coaching experience who can relate with the players and brings creativity to use his players strengths. Whoever the hell that is we need him. A great coordinator doesn't make a great head coach.
I remember a rumor back when the Dolphins were deciding between Philbin and McCoy that one of the reasons they went with Philbin over McCoy is that McCoy told them he wouldn't be retaining Todd Bowles. Then Bowles left anyway. Lesson: if you don't care which guy is your head coach so long as you get to keep Todd Bowles, you ought to just consider making Todd Bowles your head coach.
The negative of Todd Bowles is, "Does he have the connections to put together a good staff." Philbin pretty much used Sherman's connections to hire offense.
Now that I think about it that thing about Bowles wasn't JUST a rumor. I believe it was Mike McCoy himself who said that about the line of questioning with Bowles. They wanted him to promise he'd keep Bowles and he said he'd have to think about it or he'd have to interview him along with other candidates, something along those lines. McCoy ended up believing that's what knocked him out of the running. But then when they hired Philbin, Bowles went to Arizona and Philbin hired Coyle. It's hard to say whether they gave Bowles first choice on whether to stay as DC or whether McCoy just ended up being wrong about the situation.
Here's the way Iook at it, I have Bruce Arians as a top 3 coach in the business, actually my own personal favorite, thought he was gonna make a great head coach and he hasn't dissapointed, if he likes and hired Bowles, then I like Bowles
I wish I could find the post I had detailing Todd Bowles interview with Ireland. It may have provided some insight here.