Broncos DC Wade Phillips went from unemployment to the Super Bowl

Last year at this time, Wade Phillips was unemployed for an entire NFL season. This year, he coached the best defense in the NFL.

The Houston Texans dismissed Phillips after he took over for Gary Kubiak to oversee the end of their dismal 2-14 campaign in 2013 and he couldn’t find another job. When Kubiak brought him aboard his coaching staff in Denver prior to this season, the move was largely viewed with indifference, especially since Phillips was the Broncos’ second choice after Vance Joseph remained with the Bengals as their defensive backs coach.

Last January, Phillips had also interviewed with Washington for its defensive coordinator job, but Jay Gruden decided to go with Joe Barry. (Washington finished with the 2015 season with the fifth-worst overall defense in the league.)

So, when Kubiak hired him, the 68-year-old appeared to be the ultimate retread.

Phillips had been a coach in the NFL since the 1970s. In 33 seasons as a head coach or defensive coordinator, Phillips’ defenses have finished in the top 10 on 18 occasions. In his last four years as DC -- three with the Texans, one with the Broncos -- his defenses have ranked Nos. 2, 7, 7 and 1 in the league.

His track record as a head coach isn’t as successful -- he never kept a head coaching job for more than three years -- but he still sports a 82-64 career record.

Yet Phillips, who spent most of last year manning perhaps the best Twitter account ever, proved that Kubiak was right to put his faith in him. The Broncos’ defense ranked in the top 10 in every major category, giving up the fewest yards in the league and holding opponents to the fourth-fewest points.

His latest act was scheming to torment one of the best quarterbacks to ever step onto the field.

Perhaps what’s most remarkable about the Broncos’ defensive showing in their AFC Championship win over the New England Patriots is how different the plan was from their previous 17 games this season. The Broncos blitzed 41.7 percent of the time in the regular season. That’s a recipe for failure against Tom Brady, who carves up defenses that send extra rushers. So instead, the Broncos hung back. They blitzed on a minuscule 16.4 percent of Brady’s dropbacks and were still able to dominate the Patriots’ offensive line.

There was a perfect confluence of events that allowed the Broncos to hit Brady a whopping 23 times on Sunday, more than any other quarterback in football this season. The Patriots’ offensive line was beat up and never replaced left tackle Nate Solder, who tore his bicep in Week 4 and missed the rest of the season. And Phillips took advantage. Von Miller (2.5 sacks, one interception), DeMarcus Ware and the rest of the Broncos’ defensive live pulverized the Patriots up front.

The Broncos’ defense may have a more challenging time with Cam Newton in Super Bowl 50, considering he’s a threat both inside and outside the pocket. Phillips probably won’t be able to just rush three or four defenders and drop everybody else in pass coverage like they often did against the Patriots.

But as we’ve learned this season, it would be foolish to underestimate Phillips. He has the mind to devise a suffocating game plan and the players who can execute it.

If the Broncos’ defense can slow down the Panthers’ top-ranked scoring offense, and if Phillips can add a Super Bowl ring to his illustrious career, maybe he’ll finally get the respect he deserves. Better late than never.