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Wade Phillips is a long-time head coach who currently occupies the position at the San Antonio Brahmas in the United Football League (UFL). Phillips spent most of his coaching career in the NFL, and he's regarded by many as one of the best defensive coordinators in the league's history.
Phillips' defensive acumen has helped numerous players win the Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Shawne Merriman and Mike Croel won the former honor, while Bryce Paup, Reggie White, Bruce Smith, Aaron Donald, and J. J. Watt snagged the latter.
Phillips is currently the head coach of the UFL team San Antonio Brahmas and will aim to lead them to glory in the first-ever UFL season.
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The beginning of Wade Phillips' coaching career
Wade Phillips started coaching as a graduate assistant at the University of Houston in 1969. He spent one year with his Alma mater before accepting the defensive coordinator job at Lutcher Stark High School in Texas.
Phillips was with Lutcher Stark High School from 1970 to 1972 before accepting an offer to become the linebackers coach at Oklahoma State University. He stayed with OSU until 1974, working under his father, Bum Phillips, who was the then-defensive coordinator of the school.
Wade left OSU in 1974 to become the defensive line coach at the University of Kansas. His role with Kansas was his last at the collegiate level.
Wade Phillips entered the NFL in 1976
Wade Phillips joined the Houston Oilers as a defensive line coach in 1976. He quickly earned a reputation for being one of the smarter defensive minds in the league, and it wasn't long before he started getting offers from other franchises. Phillips stayed with the Oilers until 1980.
After his stint with the Oilers, Phillips held numerous defensive-oriented roles with the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, and Denver Broncos. He eventually got his first full-time head coach gig with the Broncos in the 1993 NFL season. He relinquished the role in 1994 after a less-than-ideal regular season. After his stint with the Broncos, Phillips alternated between defensive coordinator and head coach positions for the next decade and a half.
He served as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys and the interim head coach of the New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, and Atlanta Falcons. As their defensive coordinator, he helped the Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50. Phillips' system was key in shutting down reigning NFL MVP Cam Newton, and edge rusher Von Miller was named Super Bowl MVP for his efforts in the game.
Wade Phillips became a Spring Football League head coach in 2022
In 2022, Wade Phillips was announced as the head coach of the Houston Roughnecks. The Roughnecks ended the 2023 XFL season with a 7-3 record and made the playoffs as XFL South division champions. However, they lost to the Arlington Renegades in the XFL South Division Championship.
Philips is currently the head coach of the UFL side San Antonio Brahmas. He'll be looking to guide the team to the inaugural UFL Championship, thereby winning his first championship as a head coach.
