Miami coach learned trade with Big Blue

Dan Campbell was a 1999 thirdround draft pick of the Giants out of Texas A&M, and he spent four years with Big Blue as a hard-blocking tight end. He shared a locker room with Jason Garrett, a backup quarterback, and Sean Payton, an offensive assistant for head coach Jim Fassel.

Little did they know Campbell (Dolphins), Garrett (Cowboys) and Payton (Saints) all would become NFL head coaches.

“Certainly both of those guys have had an influence of a little bit of who I am and how I coach,’’ Campbell said Wednesday on a conference call. “Jason, as a player, when I was there was one of the smartest players I was ever around and Sean Payton was one of the smartest coaches I had ever been around. Certainly I have taken some of that with me and some of the things that they do.”

Campbell, 39, was the tight ends coach in Miami when Joe Philbin was fired on Oct. 5, with the Dolphins at 1-3. As the interim head coach, Campbell won his first two games and is 4-4 since taking over.

“I do feel like I know it’s in my blood and I feel like I’m doing what I was meant to be doing,’’ Campbell said. “Certainly this is a win business, you’ve got to win games, but this definitely does not feel like it’s too big for me or it’s over my head. I’ve gotten more comfortable every week. I’m doing everything that I can to win games here with the Dolphins.’’

It all started with the Giants, when Campbell was a quiet, popular tight end who was keen on observation.

The Giants are the slim favorites to win the NFC East at odds of 21/10, according to Bovada, followed by the Eagles (9/4), Redskins and Cowboys (both 3/1).

Coach Tom Coughlin, on a conference call with the Miami media said he believes Jason

Pierre-Paul has been “a strong rallying point for our team, he’s an exceptional athlete. To see him use his right hand last week the way he did means that he’s getting comfortable and confident that he can do that and be successful.’’