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As the Green Bay Packers ramp up their search for a new head coach, Pat Fitzgerald is reportedly generating significant interest from the team.

Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, Fitzgerald has been "prominently connected" to the job thanks to his relationship with Packers CEO Mark Murphy.

Fitzgerald has been Northwestern's head coach since 2006, when Murphy was the school's athletic director. Murphy left Northwestern in December 2007 to take over as Green Bay's president and CEO.

The Packers are searching for a permanent coach after firing Mike McCarthy on Dec. 2 after a 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals that dropped their record to 4-7-1. Offensive coordinator Joe Philbin took over for McCarthy on an interim basis.

Florio reported Green Bay interviewed former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell. Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the team also conducted an interview with Chuck Pagano, who was fired by the Indianapolis Colts after last season.

Fitzgerald has a 95-70 record with the Wildcats. He's the school's all-time leader in wins and has three more bowl appearances (nine) in 13 seasons than the program had from 1892-2005 (six).