The Los Angeles Rams made a somewhat surprising decision after the season to part ways with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, but the 72-year-old has made it clear that he is not ready to give up on coaching in the NFL.
On Saturday, Phillips tweeted that he is not surprised he has found himself unemployed a year after helping a team reach the Super Bowl, because the exact same scenario played out when the Denver Broncos decided not to bring him back in 2017. He ended the tweet by saying “still ready to try it again!”
I Can now believe that I don’t have a job after being in SB last year since it happened after Denver SB That’s the way the football bounces. Still ready to try it again!
— Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) February 1, 2020
Phillips was the leader of the No. 1-ranked defense in the NFL with the Broncos when they dominated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Head coach Gary Kubiak stepped down a year later, and Denver decided not to bring back Phillips when his contract expired. Phillips actually sent a similar tweet at the time.
Coaches life–unemployed to SB victory to unemployed in 3 years or less
— Wade Phillips (@sonofbum) January 2, 2017
Phillips is one of the most respected defensive minds in football, but the Rams took a step back defensively this season. They ranked somewhere in the middle of the pack in most major defensive categories, and the unit failed to answer the call in LA’s 34-31 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16. That loss eliminated the Rams from postseason contention.
We already knew from some of his social media activity that Phillips does not agree with the Rams letting him go, but it’s a situation he is quite familiar with.
