Wade Phillips coaching record: How coach of XFL’s Roughnecks fared with Cowboys, Texans during NFL career

The XFL will have some notable former NFL players on the field this season, and familiar faces will also be on the sidelines. Along with Bob Stoops, Hines Ward and Rod Woodson, former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips is part of the XFL relaunch, leading the Houston Roughnecks.

It’s a brand new challenge for Phillips, who turns 76 in June and was not involved in the 2020 XFL relaunch. He has as much NFL experience as almost any living coach, with a career stretching from 1976 to 2019, so it’s no surprise the XFL was interested in having him at the helm of one of their eight franchises.

The defensive guru could easily have stayed retired at his age but it’s hard to keep a footballer away from the sport. Also, the job allows Phillips to stay at home in Houston.

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Here’s a look at Phillip’s NFL coaching record while he’ll be coaching the Roughnecks.

Wade Phillips coaching record

season	team	W	L	pt.
1993	Broncos	9	7	.563
1994	Broncos	7	9	.438
1998	bills	10	6	.625
1999	bills	11	5	.688
2000	bills	8th	8th	.500
2007	cowboys	13	3	.813
2008	cowboys	9	7	.563
2009	cowboys	11	5	.688
2010	cowboys	1	7	.125
In total		79	57	.581

In addition to three full-time head coaching stints, Phillips has also served as an interim head coach with three separate teams. He played four games with the Saints in 1985, three games with the Falcons in 2003, and three games with the Texans in 2013.

Phillips’ coaching career encompasses much more than just his stints as head coach, however.

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Wade Phillips coaching timeline

Phillips is arguably better remembered for his work as defensive coordinator than for his stints as head coach. He coached in the NFL for five different decades.

Below is a full account of Phillips’ long college and NFL coaching career.

• 1969: Houston (Study Assistant)
• 1973-1974: Oklahoma State (LBs coach)
• 1975: Kansas (DL Coach)
• 1976-1980: Houston Oilers (DL Coach)
• 1981-1985: New Orleans Saints (defensive coordinator)
• 1986-1988: Philadelphia Eagles (defensive coordinator)
• 1989-1992: Denver Broncos (defensive coordinator)
• 1993-1994: Denver Broncos (head coach)
• 1995-1997: Buffalo Bills (defensive coordinator)
• 1998-2000: Buffalo Bills (defensive coordinator)
• 2002-2003: Atlanta Falcons (defensive coordinator)
• 2004-2006: San Diego Chargers (defensive coordinator)
• 2007-2010: Dallas Cowboys (head coach)
• 2011-2013: Houston Texans (defensive coordinator)
• 2015-2016: Denver Broncos (defensive coordinator)
• 2017-2019: Los Angeles Rams (defensive coordinator)
• 2023: Houston Roughnecks (Head Coach/GM)

Phillips eventually won a Super Bowl when the Broncos defeated the Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Denver won on the back of Phillips’ historic defense, which led the league in opposing yards per game and pressed Tom Brady and Cam Newton to seal a title.

Phillips would return to the Super Bowl with the Rams three years later, but Los Angeles would fall behind despite being held to 13 points by Tom Brady and the Patriots.

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As the NFL moves towards more offensive head coaches, Phillips joins Stoops, Woodson, Jim Haslett and Terrell Buckley as the XFL head coach from a defensive background. Nobody has quite as distinguished a defensive background as Phillips, so the roughnecks appear to be in good hands.