Player Info

Wade Phillips

NFL Head Coach, Dallas Cowboys

Career Highlights: Wade Phillips finished his second season as head coach of Dallas Cowboys…A native Texan, he is the only head coach in franchise history to assume the top job with previous coaching experience on the high school, collegiate and professional levels in the Lone Star State…Phillips has 32 years of NFL coaching experience - including seven full seasons as a head coach and 20 years as a defensive coordinator…In his seven-plus years as a head coach, Phillips has produced a 70-49 regular season record and has guided his teams to four playoff appearances…He has had only one non-winning season as a head coach and has posted a .588 career regular season winning percentage…Phillips' results in his first year in Dallas in 2007 exceeded all expectations as the Cowboys tied the club record for regular season victories with a 13-3 mark en route to winning the NFC Eastern Division…While posting the first 12-1 record ever to start a season, the Cowboys finished with the NFL's third ranked offense and the ninth ranked defensive unit…Under Phillips's guidance, the 2007 team also sent a franchise and league record 13 players to the Pro Bowl…Prior to Dallas, Phillips served as the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers (2004-2006)…Phillips directed a unit that improved each season as the Chargers aggressive defense posted a league-high 61 sacks in 2006…The Chargers won the AFC West and qualified for the playoffs in 2004 on the heels of a 4-12 season in 2003…Phillips spent two years (2002-03) as defensive coordinator in Atlanta, and served as the interim head coach for the Falcons final three games of the 2003 season posting a 2-1 record …Phillips was head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 1998-2000 and compiled a regular season record of 29-19… Phillips took the reigns after a disappointing 6-10 finish in 1997 and reversed the team's fortunes by leading it to a 10-6 record and the playoffs in 1998…His 1999 team led the NFL in total defense, went 11-5 and earned another trip to the postseason. ..The Bills finished 8-8 in 2002 - his last season in Buffalo. ..Prior to being named the Bills head coach, Phillips spent three seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator … Phillips was named Denver's head coach in January 1993 after serving as defensive coordinator for four seasons…In his first year as head coach, Phillips led the Broncos to a playoff berth, but injuries decimated the club the following season which resulted in a 7-9 record - Phillips only season with a losing record in five years as a head coach… Phillips's extensive coaching career also included stopovers at Philadelphia from 1986-88 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, as well as defensive coordinator for New Orleans from 1981-85… His professional coaching career began in Houston in 1976 as the linebackers coach under his father, longtime NFL coach Bum Phillips…After a year as the linebackers, Phillips moved to handling the defensive line responsibilities from 1977 to 1980. …Phillips began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Houston, in 1969 as a graduate assistant…He then coached at Orange, Texas, High School from 1970-72…In 1973, he joined the Oklahoma State University staff coaching linebackers for two seasons….Phillips was then hired to coach the defensive line at Kansas State in 1975, his last season coaching in the college ranks.

Updated: May 2009
Courtesy NBC

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