Wes Phillips Soldiers on for Cowboys After Father Wade's Ouster

by David Elfin

Filed under: Cowboys, NFC East

Wes Phillips was born to be an NFL coach. He was born in Houston in 1979 when his father, Wade, was coaching the defensive line for the Oilers for his father, Bum, Wes' grandfather. The Oilers lost the AFC Championship Game to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers that year just as they had in 1978 when Wes was still in utero.

In 1981, the extended Phillips family moved on to New Orleans before Wade set out on his own in 1986 with Philadelphia. Stops in Denver and Buffalo were next before Wes headed to Texas-El Paso as a quarterback. After graduation, he played in the Arena2 League and coached at his alma mater, West Texas A&M and Baylor before joining his father's staff as offensive quality control coach in Dallas in 2007. The Cowboys won their first NFC title in nine years that season and captured the division again last season along with their first playoff victory since 1996.

However, the team's stunning 1-7 first half this season cost Wade Phillips his job on Nov. 8. Wes, 31, and married for 16 months, decided to stay on for interim coach Jason Garrett, who was promoted from offensive coordinator.

"It's tough to see your father get fired," Wes Phillips said. "There's an adjustment period. We preach to the players to leave the baggage at the door.If you can't follow that yourself, you're not very credible with those guys."

 

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