Wade Phillips, 47-year coaching veteran and the mind behind the Broncos’ dominant defense the past two seasons, will be hired as the new defensive coordinator of the Rams, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Wade Phillips reportedly hired as Rams defensive coordinator
One of the league’s most venerable coaches will takes his talents to Los Angeles
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Shortly after the hiring of Vance Joseph as the Broncos’ head coach, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Denver’s defensive backs coach Joe Woods was likely to take Phillips’ spot on the staff.
Phillips had presided over one of the league’s best defenses in his two years with the team, but it would be hard not to succeed thanks to the talent with which he worked. His unit was anchored by 2015 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Von Miller, who was flanked by Pro Bowlers like DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, Chris Harris, and T.J. Ward.
In 2015, no team allowed fewer yards in the regular season than the Broncos, who went on to win Super Bowl 50. They fell to fourth in 2016 and ranked third in the league with 42 sacks in 16 games.
Phillips had made his intentions of staying in Denver clear shortly after the end of the season.
The 69-year-old coach has a resume long enough to be mistaken for a James Joyce short story. He’s been an NFL defensive coordinator since 1981 when he was a rising star with the Saints. That led to jobs in the same position with the Eagles, Bills, Falcons, Chargers, and Cowboys. His DC role in the Rocky Mountains is his second go-round with the franchise. He previously served as the team’s defensive head from 1989 to 1992 before being promoted to its top position in 1993.
Phillips has had some success as an NFL head coach, though he has never advanced beyond the Divisional Round of the playoffs. He’s 79-57 as a fully-fledged HC in stops with Denver, Buffalo, and Dallas. He also held interim positions with New Orleans, Atlanta, and Houston.
Now, he’ll join a Rams staff anchored by the youngest head coach in NFL history, Sean McVay, who was signed on Thursday to a three-year contract.
Los Angeles gives Phillips a chance to rebound rather quickly. With a defense anchored by former DROY Aaron Donald, along with Robert Quinn, Alec Ogletree, and Mark Barron, Phillips will have more than enough pieces to work on improving a defense that finished ninth last season in yards allowed per game (337 yards).
Obviously, that doesn’t solve the Rams’ larger problems. The offense still needs a ton of work, but Phillips solidifying the defense would likely buy some time there.
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