Wade Phillips’ departure from the Denver Broncos to become defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams was a tough goodbye for Bronco fans, players, coaches and media alike. Phillips joined Gil Whiteley and Arran Anderson on Mile High Sports Radio to discuss leaving Denver, the Rams and how much football he’s got left in him.
Phillips has most enjoyed the relationships he has built during his lengthy career in football. Although he was only in Denver for two seasons (this go-around), he feels goodbyes are never easy.
“It’s certainly sentimental,” said Phillips. “It’s about relationships with people; that’s the hard part. Sometimes it’s your decision, sometimes it’s somebody else’s decision to go somewhere else.”
Nonetheless, Rams new head coach Sean McVay and Phillips have begun to piece together their coaching staff. Phillips would love to bring some of his Denver staff to LA, but knows they’ve got a good thing going.
“I would like to certainly go take the guys from the Broncos,” stated Phillips, “but, they’re under contract, plus, I’m sure they’d want to stay, they’ve got a pretty good group there to stay with.”
Some concerns have arisen around McVay, as he became the youngest head coach in modern NFL history, being hired at just 30 years of age. Although Phillips has been coaching longer than McVay has been alive, he feels confident in him and is willing to help him in whatever way possible.
“Well I think he knows about me certainly,” stated Phillips, “I think he’ll come to me if he has a question or whatever. It’s his job as a head coach, and if he has some problems, I feel like he might ask me, and I would volunteer anything that I thought would help him, but it’s his opportunity and his job, you need to do it the way you need to do it. I’m there for him.”
Even though Phillips has been coaching for 35-plus years, he feels he still has some gas left in the tank.
“I hope so. I think the Rams hope so,” Phillips said jokingly, “I’m enjoying it. It’s what I do, what I enjoy doing. Like I said, I enjoy the camaraderie with the players and the staff, and the interaction with the fans and the media. I’ve learned to enjoy football a lot more as I’ve gone along.”
Listen to the full interview with Wade Phillips, including his thoughts on Kyle Shanahan losing his Super Bowl game plan, in the podcast below…
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