CARD: TNT XFL 2023
ACQUIRED: In Person, 2024

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

• Wade Phillips comes from strong football bloodlines as his father Bum, was a coach at the pro level.
• Was a 3 year starter at LB at University of Houston from 1966-’68.
• Immediately went into coaching where he began his trek up to the pro ranks as a graduate assistant at Houston.
• Moved into the pros with his father in 1976 as a positional coach with the HOUSTON Oilers.
• Became the defensive coordinator for the Saints in 1981.
• In 1985, served as interim HC when his father abruptly retired during the season.
• Worked with the Eagles (1985-’88), and Broncos (1989-’92) as each team’s defensive coordinator- respectively.
• He was coach of the Broncos from 1993-’94.
• Then was quickly snapped up by the Bills to be DC from 1995-’97.
• Served as HC for the Bills from 1998-’00.
• After a brief hiatus, was back at it again in 2002 as DC for the Falcons through 2003.
• Served as interim head coach briefly for Atlanta, then was off to San Diego to be the DC from 2004-2006.
• Became head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2007-’10.
• Claimed to know how to fix the Houston Texans defensive woes and was signed as DC in 2011.
• Turned around defensive unit and was key in identifying JJ Watt.
• Served through 2013 as the DC, and briefly as the interim head coach.
• Returned to the Broncos in 2015 as DC- helping the team win Super Bowl L.
• Joined the Rams in 2017 and helped team reach Super Bowl LIII.
• After not having his contract renewed following the 2019 season, Wade decided to coach in the XFL in 2023.
• As HC of the Houston Roughnecks he led the team to a 7-3 record.
• When the UFL and XFL combined following the season, Wade and his staff moved up the street to San Antonio.
• Rebuilding the team from the ground up Phillips guided his team to an 8-3 record and an appearance in the first UFL Championship Game.

NOTES:

You know, I didn’t really believe Wade at first that he was going to build a dynamo in San Antonio that we’d be proud of. Then they went to work and just like that by the beginning of that first game, I thought the Brahmas were walking quietly and carrying a big stick.

Wade is well known in circles for being able to make seismic cultural and defensive changes quickly to football franchises. He also hasn’t seen a sniff of an NFL HC job since his time in Dallas- which could be attributed to ageism, as his reputation and resume say otherwise.

I got this custom card done just in time to give it to him at the season ticket holders event. He probably has seen his share of custom trading cards- so he really didn’t bat an eye.. which did surprise me. Over his high profile level of coaching for the past 40+ years, he has never had a trading card in circulation.

Wade has been a HC for more franchises than any coach in NFL history (including interim titles).