Wade Phillips has found a place in the XFL following a period of desperation to return to the NFL.
The former NFL head coach and defensive coordinator is now in charge of the Houston Roughnecks, who are 4-0 after beating the Orlando Guardians on Saturday, with the XFL making a second return last month.
Phillips, 75, has built a reputation as a defensive-minded coach and is considered to be one of the best DCs in NFL history. He’s taken his expertise to the XFL and the Roughnecks remain undefeated as a result. They made four sacks and six tackles for loss in the 44-16 win over the Guardians this weekend.
The HC last worked with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL, serving as their defensive coordinator from 2017-2019. The team announced they would not renew his contract in 2020 and he hasn’t made it back since.
The 75-year-old was not hired by any NFL team although he helped the Rams make it to the Super Bowl a year earlier and he thinks it’s because of his age.
“I hate to say it but I think it’s age,” he said, per the New York post, earlier this month. It’s hard to beat my record as a coordinator so there’s got to be another reason. But that’s ok. I’m glad to be doing what I’m doing.”
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Phillips has been either a coach or coordinator on multiple NFL teams and won a Super Bowl as a DC with the Denver Broncos in 2015 but actually had to take to Twitter to tell teams he was looking for an opportunity to help any team who was willing to take him on board.
Now, he’s back as a head coach and could win a championship in the position. There’s every possibility an NFL team will come knocking should that turn out to be the case.
