Wade Phillips Net Worth

What Is Wade Phillips Net Worth?

Wade Phillips, an American professional football coach, has an estimated net worth of $9 million as of 2024. This wealth has been accumulated over his extensive coaching career in both the National Football League (NFL) and the United Football League (UFL). Wade Phillips’s career spans over five decades, during which he has held lucrative contracts as a head coach and defensive coordinator. Wade Phillips was born in Orange, Texas, in June 1947.

Sources of Wade Phillips’ Net Worth

Wade Phillips’s major income sources include salaries from his time with various NFL teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans. In recent years, his position as head coach of the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL has further contributed to his financial success. As of 2024, Wade Phillips is the head coach of the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL. Under his leadership, the Brahmas had a 7-3 record, securing a spot in the playoffs of the inaugural UFL season. Phillips’s annual salary has been reported to be around $3 million.

During his time as head coach of the Houston Roughnecks in the XFL, it was estimated that Phillips earned around $500,000 per year. XFL head coaches in 2023 received multi-year deals and were paid in the six-figure range yearly. While specific details of his contracts are not publicly available, it’s clear that his roles as both head coach and defensive coordinator have been financially rewarding throughout his career. His contract with the Dallas Cowboys was extended through 2011, indicating his value and contribution to the team. In 2010, while coaching the Cowboys, Phillips was among the league’s lowest-paid head coaches at around $3 million per season. Jerry Jones, the team owner, suggested that Phillips was possibly underpaid for what he brought to the team.

Wade Phillips’ Coaching Career Highlights and Earnings

Wade Phillips’s coaching journey began as a graduate assistant at the University of Houston in 1969. In 1966-1968, Wade Phillips was a three-year starter at linebacker for the Houston Cougars. During his collegiate career, he set a school record for career assisted tackles (228), a testament to his defensive prowess on the field. This record stood until 2011, underscoring his significant impact on the Cougars’ defense. From 1970 to 1972, he served as a defensive coordinator for Lutcher Stark High School. He then moved to Oklahoma State University, where he coached linebackers from 1973 to 1974. In 1975, he was the defensive line coach at the University of Kansas.

Phillips entered the NFL in 1976 as the defensive line coach for the Houston Oilers, a position he held until 1980. He then became the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1985, also serving as interim head coach in 1985. From 1986 to 1988, he was the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. His tenure with the Denver Broncos began in 1989, where he served as defensive coordinator until 1992, before becoming the head coach from 1993 to 1994. Phillips then moved to the Buffalo Bills, serving as defensive coordinator from 1995 to 1997 and head coach from 1998 to 2000.

In the early 2000s, Phillips was the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons from 2002 to 2003, also serving as interim head coach in 2003. He then joined the San Diego Chargers as defensive coordinator from 2004 to 2006. His time with the Dallas Cowboys as head coach spanned from 2007 to 2010. From 2011 to 2013, he was the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, where he also served as interim head coach in 2013. More recently, Phillips served as the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams before taking on head coaching roles in the XFL and UFL.

Wade Phillips led the Houston Roughnecks to a 7-3 record in the regular season and a berth in the XFL South Division Championship Game. In 2024, Phillips led San Antonio to an 8-3 record in 2024. The team had one of the UFL’s top defenses and only gave up a League-best 15.3 points per game. San Antonio reached the UFL Championship against the Birmingham Stallions. Several players under Phillips’s coaching have won Defensive Player of the Year awards, including Reggie White, Bryce Paup, Bruce Smith, J.J. Watt, and Aaron Donald. Additionally, Mike Croel and Shawne Merriman have won Defensive Rookie of the Year awards under his guidance.