Former NFL head coach and defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has announced his desire to return to the sidelines in 2021. Phillips, 73, retired following the 2019 season after serving three years as the Rams defensive coordinator.
Over the past four decades, he’s spent time with 10 different franchises, including the Falcons during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. After team owner Arthur Blank fired Dan Reeves in 2003, Phillips was selected to finish the final three games of the season as the interim coach, finishing with a 2-1 record.
I am ready to retire from retirement! I am ready and available. Let’s win.
— Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) January 15, 2021
Phillips has a proven track record as a defensive guru, and posted a top-10 defense during his stops in Denver and Houston. The Falcons have only finished with a defense higher than 20th twice since the start of the 2012 NFL season (15th in 2015 and 7th in 2017).
With Atlanta likely to name Arthur Smith as the team’s new head coach, it could be a reasonable assumption that Smith would prefer a seasoned veteran to lead that side of the ball. Phillips has a wealth of knowledge that could be beneficial for any incoming candidate.
