By Will Brinson

There's no way anyone expected Joe Philbin to join the Packers at Lambeau Field for Sunday's divisional matchup against the Giants a week after his son's tragic death, but CBS Sports Lesley Visser reported on The NFL Today that Philbin would be with the team.

Vesser spoke with Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who told her that Philbin would be there "to participate."

"I just spoke with coach Mike McCarthy, and he said Joe Philbin will be here tomorrow, in Mike McCarthy's words, to participate," Visser reported Saturday.

The passing of Michael Philbin's been a primary storyline over the past week, because of Philbin's importance to Green Bay and the understanding that he could take as much time away from the team as needed, and would be unlikely to work on Sunday.

But Philbin will be at Lambeau and it's worth noting that the Packers are, for all intents and purposes, his family.

Athletes frequently seek out their sport when tragedy hits, because it's a way of taking one's mind off the things happening in one's personal life. There's no reason why Philbin, a coach, should be any different.

It's still stunning to find out that he'll be in the office on Sunday. Although it wouldn't be stunning at all to see an emotionally charged and inspired Packers team take the field against the Giants.

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Posted by Will Brinson

The family of former Patriots guard Joe Andruzzi is deeply connected to the tragic events of September 11, 2011. Three of Joe's brothers are New York firefighters, and Joe's father is a former New York Police Department officer.

Joe made football "history" when he ran into Gillette Stadium during the Patriots first game back after 9/11, holding an American flag in each hand, with his brothers in the stadium in their firefighting gear, being celebrated by the crowd for their heroism.

CBS Sports' Lesley Visser sat down with the three-time Super Bowl champion in a touching clip that aired during The NFL Today as he recalled the events of 9/11 and the Patriots game afterwards.

In somewhat related news, as this clip aired during the pre-game festivities, FOX Sports aired a clip of Frank Caliendo doing a Larry the Cable Guy impersonation. So there's that.


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