Call it the Revenge of the Retreads.
Once again, one team's trash is another's treasure.
On Sunday, Gary Kubiak became the fourth head coach in five years to win the Super Bowl after getting fired from his previous head coaching job.
The company is good.
Bill Belichick in 2015. Pete Carroll in 2014. And Tom Coughlin in 2012.
So it's no wonder that many connected with the Dolphins had hoped they would pick a head coach with previous experience in their latest search.
Instead, they went with a first-time NFL coach for the eighth time in a row. Granted, the book on Adam Gase hasn't even begun to be written, and he was among the most sought-after candidates of this year's class.
But there's something to be said about having a guy who has been there before.
Kubiak has battle scars. He is the most successful coach in the Texans' short history. He won the franchise's first two divisional titles _ and they canned him anyway in 2013. Kubiak spent 2014 as offensive coordinator for the Ravens.
On Sunday, Kubiak became the fourth coach to win the Super Bowl in his first year as head coach of that team. He also became the first coach to win the Super Bowl for a team in which he also reached the Super Bowl as a player.
Kubiak was John Elway's backup for the Broncos back in the day. In 2015, he became Elway's handpicked coach. Elway is Denver's football czar after a Hall of Fame playing career with the Broncos.
It's a storybook ending that is almost too good to be true. But it's an ending Kubiak envisioned in his "wildest imagination."
He added: "I knew I wanted to keep coaching. I felt like I was a good football coach. ... So life is fair. Von [Miller] said that earlier: 'Just keep working' I kept working, and boy, what a feeling today."
He has Miller to thank for that feeling. The Broncos star linebacker had a game for the ages _ 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, including the game-winner late in regulation.
As a result, Miller became the third pass rusher to win Super Bowl MVP.
"It just shows what type of defense that we've been playing," Miller said. "It's honestly not about me. If I could cut this award, I would give it to DeMarcus [Ware] and [Derek] Wolfe and all the other guys. That's what I would do. This is all great and stuff, but for me, I want to be with my guys. I would take the ring, the MVP is great, but I'll take the ring."
No doubt, Kubiak feels the same.
"I came to a really good football team; I know that," Kubiak said. "We asked them to make some concessions along the way."
Sunday night, it all paid off _ and Kubiak made the most of his second chance.
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