APWade Phillips is back for a second tour with the Broncos.
Phillips has agreed to become Denver’s defensive coordinator, the team announced Wednesday night.
Phillips, 67, was the Texans’ defensive coordinator from 2011 through 2013, working with head coach Gary Kubiak, with whom he will team again in Denver.
Phillips’ hiring could signal changes ahead for the Broncos’ defense. A move to a 3-4 scheme is likely; the club employed a “40” front a season ago.
Phillips was the Broncos’ head coach from 1993 through 1994 after a four-season stint as their defensive coordinator (1989-1992). This is his eighth stint as an NFL defensive coordinator. In addition to his prior work in Denver and Houston, he oversaw defenses in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Atlanta and San Diego.
Phillips also has a solid resume as a head coach, posting an 83-69 record. He was 16-17 in his two seasons with Denver.
a good choice
Good luck Wade
Jake Kubiak “We’re putting the band back together!”
13-3 and a Superbowl or your fired.
Great hire. His defenses show a lot of passion. something Del Rio’s did not
Did the Broncos even hire a head coach yet?
It’s about time!
you guys want schaub? we could give you a killer deal…………
Good…He’s already worked with DeMarcus Ware in the past and will have Von Miller as the other OLB. They must resign Knighton now for the all important NT position…
Peyton, it may be time to retire, or at least find a new team.
Denver has been fun for awhile, but the fat lady is clearing her throat and while Fonzie is putting on his skis, Bruce is swimming laps in Lake Michigan.
With that staff, the Bronco will be fighting to finish 3rd in the division. When are the players getting their letterman jackets made?
Love Wade Phillips! Yeah baby! Go Orange!
Welcome to retread city.
Take notes Oakland. Go after someone big.
This is great.
The tires are worn out on this guy.
This is good bye Julius and hello new contract for Pot Roast. The Broncos will have a MEAN Defense next year… I think they were 3rd overall this year and they are much better suited, personnel wise, for Phillips’s 3-4 D. From the outside looking in, it appears as though Elway just keeps pulling the right strings.
Oh my god this is the best Elway could do???
What a joke!!
Peyton you best retire now or move on to another team ’cause Kubiak and Phillips are not getting you over the championship hump.
I get a kick out of the NFL, do you notice almost all the “new” head coaches that were “old head” coaches end up hiring a lot of their old coaches. Seems like a weird cycle, I got a job lost it, and now I got a new one and I want all the guys that were on the team where i lost the job back on my team, I guess they all must think it will work the 2nd time.
A good hire but he Broncos will not win a fifth straight division title so Elway can take a deep breath and fire himself.
Very Underated Defensesive Coach..Im Very Happy for Wade definitely an Upgrade from Del Rio
When Kubiak came to Houston he brought all his Buddies from Denver, we were Dubbed the Houston Broncos. Now he is the Coach of the Broncos he brings the retreads from Houston, I give you the Denver Texans.
Broncos fans are you still excited he is your head coach assembled basically the same staff that went 2-14 2 seasons ago.
As long as Von Miller doesn’t get suspended or tear his ACL….
Elway is so desperate to win that he is now reaching. Well it couldn’t happen to a better team, imagine trying to buy a championship.
Can’t be worse than Del Rio’s constant 4 man rush.
Raider fans.. I hope you don’t like blitzing, you might even forget what it is if you watch enough of your team’s games..
Wade’s a great defensive coach, and I wish him the best in his new position with Denver. Hope it works out well for him.
Always liked him and wished he had not gotten screwed here when he was the head coach…. Anyways, I wish him the best..
If he has the sense to hire Kyle Shananhan as OC and lets him do his stuff, you Broncos fans won’t skip a beat.
Welcome back Wade. Put some fire in the pot…
3-4… bring back the Orange Crush
We upgraded at every coaching spot as far as the head, special teams, defensive line, defensive and offensive coordinators. Great work Elway and the future is looking bright in Denver. Watch our defense excel in a system which better fits the talent on the roster, and look for the o-line to be upgraded into a run first offense. I love it and I believe a lot of true Bronco fans will, also. I guess we’ll all see, but I’m psyched.
Would have preferred Scwartz to bring more attitude. Wade’s too laud back. But can’t deny he has gotten some decent results. Neither Kubiak nor Phillips has had the talent they have now. So we’ll see if they can get better results than they had in Houston and Dallas.
They should have hired Marty Schottenheimer because there would have been no greater way for Peyton Manning to retire than to win a Super Bowl for Marty Ball!!!!!!! There’s a gleam men!
Mistake. Besides the hilarious Doug marrone, this is the dumbest move of any team this offseason. You don’t bring a former head coach as an assistant. Phillips is a good dc but this will fail. The chiefs made the same mistake with gunther Cunningham.
Ruh Roh…
I now recall my prayer to watch Kubiak and Phillips hoisting the Lombardi… Can you do that, or does it double down the first prayer?
Oh no… Please don’t do that to me.
Signed me and all Texans fans.
So they’re switching to a 3-4? They gotta good 3-4 OLB in Demarcus Ware. I don’t know how good Von Miller might be but at the same time I haven’t seen him play much really but judging by all I’ve heard about him I’m sure he’ll be good. Bronco fans just better hope he doesn’t eventually wind up as head coach.
Sorry, bad idea. Why not bring Dan Reeves back? Red Miller?
Broncos now have a proven OC in Kubiak and a proven DC in Phillips. Now all they need is a good head coach.
Upgrade for sure, but I don’t like the 4-3. Don’t worry about the age comments, Wade. They come from the 20-something who today are taught to look down on their elders.
Wade took Houston’s defense from 30th to 2nd within a year, and forced Rick Smith to draft JJ Watt.
That 2-14 year? It wasn’t on Kubiak or Phillips, but because the Texans had a thin roster and Smith’s constantly botched drafting left them with gaping holes (QB, ILB, OLB, secondary) that made it nearly impossible to fill. Even Bill Belichick would’ve had a trial with a broken-down Schaub and Case Keenum at QB.
Smith kept his job and threw Kubiak and Phillips under the bus. Isn’t nepotism grand?
Wade Phillips is the definition of the Peter Principle. “People rise to the level of their incompetence.” He always looked confused as a Head Coach (maybe it is just his face), but is an awesome Defensive Coordinator everywhere he goes.
Those of us that know our history know this is good news ……for the Patriots.
RE-Tread…. horrible hire!!!
Because Rich Kotite was locked into his contract at Kentucky A & M?
Success consists of going from failure to failure
without loss of enthusiasm.~Winston Churchill
First I feel babygaga19’s comment;
I am pretty much hang on to Elway’s words regarding plans. He was a serious Finance Major at Stanford declaring his love of numbers if football didn’t work out, then proved it the past 15 years in Business.
I was happy he took a pragmatic assessment of hiring Fox n Staff. I just cant imagine that he would publicly gather the lost members and get the ole’ band going like the ole’ days. I feel like deflated, as will the top free agents being lured with piles of cash(oakland,chicago). This is going to bite Elway in the ass from 3 directions-SD,OAK,CHI.
Well, at least he has assembled the group that can sit around the Coors keg, and talk about how they can bring the ’97-’98 scheme back…Blah Blah..
I predict no less than 2 new Faculty DUI, and 3 player arrests. Players are 24/7 with their Agents finding the biggest stack of cash, knowing I will take a few years to gel, which means their contracts will be up anyway. I have never been a negative voice toward the broncos, but now,
IF I hear John Elway refer to the Multi-Billion $, Fake Tax-Exempt 501(C-6) NFL Corporation’s Top annual Franchise as World Champions, then I damn-sure better hear The World Champion Subway Franchisee, McDonalds Franchisee et al
I personally love This hire. Any real Broncos fan knows their best defenses were when they played the 3-4. Miller and Ware will get even more sacks and more pressure then before. This is a huge upgrade over Del Rio
Yeah, that worked out well for Kubiak in Houston.
Beware of the Flutie Curse! It IS real!! See “Cold, Hard Football Facts and search. You’ll love it! Yes, I’m from Massachusetts 🙂
Not a Broncos fan but do think this is a good hire. He’s got the resume to prove it.
Not a bad hire…but ‘Booby’, he’s anything but underrated…
What on earth? Are they going to wear throwback jerseys every game, as well? This coaching roster sounds like it is from 2005, not 2015. Maybe Elway should see if Parcells is bored playing with horsies yet and bring him on board, as well.
Phillips is not underrated. He has not worn the tread off his tires (how does a coach wear tread off his tires? he doesn’t play. that is the most moronic thing i’ve read). They guy does defense and he does it well. He always has. 6 of the 7 defenses he has fielded have been ranked in the top 10. He turned Houston’s defense around from 30 rank to 2nd rank with NO pro-bowlers. Keep telling yourself Raiders, Charger, Chiefs fans that you still have a chance in the AFC West. All in all, you know you’re lying to yourself. The Broncos just got a lot better and have increased the gap between themselves and the rest of the AFC West.
The Burros would’ve been better off bringing back Wade as HC with Kubiak as his OC. Phillips has a much better record as a HC than Kubiak.
Funniest part are the posts predicting Denver is done winning the AFC West. Granted, KC and SD both were 9-7 last year but neither of them look like sure things to get much better than that. Oakland may have the best upside but they were 3-13 last season. Unless Manning leaves, Denver is considerably better than anybody in that division no matter who coaches them.