ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Miami Dolphins coach Joe Philbin has no second thoughts about how he handled a bullying scandal involving former guard Richie Incognito but said Wednesday that Incognito deserved to return to the NFL.
Incognito, now with the Buffalo Bills, will return Sunday to Sun Life Stadium for the first time since being suspended in 2013.
"Look, that was a long time ago guys, and I'm not going to get into that," Philbin said on a conference call Wednesday with Buffalo-based reporters. "As I think I said, he deserves to be back in the National Football League. Wish him well. But we're focused on this game and not going back in time two years."
Asked whether he had any regrets about how he handled the end of Incognito's tenure in Miami, Philbin responded, "No, not at all."
"It's not any strange emotions," Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "I like Richie, and I've spoken to him several times since everything went down. There's no fuel or emotions or anything like that. People leave here all the time. So it's not strange to play against someone [who was a teammate]."
Incognito has started the first two games of the season for the Bills, ranking second among NFL left guards in Week 1 and fifth among all NFL guards in Week 2 according to Pro Football Focus rankings. Incognito is the only Bills starting offensive lineman to not be penalized this season.
"He's been tremendous, guys," coach Rex Ryan said Wednesday. "He's been absolutely tremendous. And as a player, but then everything else too. I've been really proud of him."
Incognito could be named a captain for Sunday's game, as Ryan has a longstanding practice of sending out players for the coin toss in games against their former teams.
Ryan also praised Incognito's impact in the Bills' locker room since Buffalo signed him in February.
"What I'm saying is this, about Richie: There isn't one player, one person in this organization that doesn't respect Richie," he said Wednesday. "And I think that speaks volumes about it. So maybe that is the leader and things like that. But everybody respects him. He's been an outstanding teammate. He's been one heck of a football player."
Incognito said Tuesday that his return to Miami this weekend will have "a little more meaning" and that "there are obviously bigger things at play here."
"I've played against Richie a couple times," said Dolphins nose tackle Ndamukong Suh. "I don't remember the teams exactly that he were on. But I've met Richie before. Good dude. We've come across each other. So no issues there."
Information from ESPN Dolphins writer James Walker was used in this report.