The Wade Phillips Stamp: A Coaching Legend Weighs in on the COTY Race
HOUSTON, TX — If you’ve followed football for more than five minutes, you know that when Wade Phillips talks, you listen. The man they call “Son of Bum” has seen everything from the Orange Crush defense to Super Bowl rings, and today he took to social media to give some love to the five guys up for NFL Coach of the Year. For Wade, coaching isn’t just about X’s and O’s; it’s about a family business that is still thriving in the modern era.
The Family Connection in Minnesota
While Wade is quick to praise all the finalists, you can bet he’s got a special eye on the Minnesota Vikings. **Kevin O’Connell** made the final five, but for Wade, that’s a proud father moment as much as a football one. His son, **Wes Phillips**, is the Offensive Coordinator in Minnesota. Together, they navigated a season that started with a season-ending injury to their rookie quarterback and still ended with a high-octane offense that defied every “expert” prediction in August.
The Vikings offense finished the year in the **top ten for total yardage**, a feat that directly points to the stability Wes and Kevin built together. Seeing O’Connell on this list is a massive win for the Phillips coaching tree. Wade’s been a head coach for three different teams and a coordinator for a dozen more; he knows that a head coach is only as good as the guys he trusts to call the plays. In Minnesota, that trust paid off with a Sam Darnold career resurgence that nobody saw coming.
Inside the Huddle
“I’ve always said, coaching is about making your players better than they thought they could be. When you see guys like Kevin and Mike Tomlin doing what they did this year, it makes an old coach proud. This game is in good hands with these guys.” — Wade Phillips, NFL Coaching Legend
The Bottom Line & What’s Next
Wade’s nod of approval carries weight because he represents the “old school” grit that guys like **Dan Campbell and Jim Harbaugh** have brought back to the league. We’ve spent years watching the NFL become a pass-happy, “soft” league, but this list of finalists proves that physical, fundamental football is back in style.
Keep an eye on the Vikings staff during this playoff run. While O’Connell is the one with the finalist tag, the performance of Wes Phillips’ offense is going to make him a hot name for head coaching interviews in the next few weeks. Wade might be “retired” from the NFL, but his influence is all over the 2024 highlight reels. Whether it’s the Lions’ grit or the Steelers’ defense, the “Son of Bum” philosophy is alive and well. The winner will be named in New Orleans, but Wade’s already given them the only trophy that matters to a real football guy: respect.
