DALLAS – There’s no question Wade Phillips earned the opportunity to return as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. He won two NFC East titles in his three years. He developed the Cowboys defense into one of the best in the NFL and took the Cowboys to a level they haven’t been at since 1996.
So why are there so many fans who think bringing him back was a mistake? The answer is simple. Wade is not a PR machine. He’s not good with press conferences and his demeanor is laid back and it’s perceived as a lack of authority. Many judge Phillips on his exterior and not what he’s done internally to help stabilize the Cowboys and bring respect within the locker room.
It doesn’t take long being around the players to see that they respect Wade and play hard for him. They want him to succeed. They respect his methods. Times have changed since free agency hit the NFL in the early 90s. Back then a player was basically owned by a team until they were released or traded. A player had to go along with the program because they had no other option. But in this era a player can do what he wants until he’s a free agent and them move on to what he thinks is a better situation. This makes it harder for a head coach to relate to his players and get their full attention.
Wade has succeeded in this area because he takes the time to cultivate personal relationships with his players. He shows he cares. He’s there for them when needed. So when the time comes for Phillips to call out a player or talk to him about an issue regarding the team, the player will listen and trust him. The old methods of yelling and screaming just won’t work with the players of this day and age.
Bill Parcells act got old after three years to the point where the players almost quit on him. His old school techniques wore on the players and it was obvious in his final season that the team was not responding. So the hiring of Wade was the perfect change that the Cowboys needed.
In Phillips first season it was still basically Bills team. They won a team record 13 games but got ousted in their first playoff game. But since that 2007 season Wade has slowly put his stamp on the roster. It’s now his team. And that team was good enough to win the NFC East and finally win a playoff game. Wade brought in players that fit his system.
When Phillips took over as defensive coordinator following last season’s humiliating 44-6 loss at Philadelphia, it showed that 2009 was going to be a make or break season for his future with the team. He made it! Wades expertise with X and Os helped propel the Cowboys defense to the top of the NFL. They allowed the fewest points in the NFC (2nd in the NFL behind the Jets). Dallas turned in back to back shutouts for the first time in team history. They held some of the top scoring offenses in the league to their lowest point total of the season. Philadelphia (0, 14), San Diego (20), Green Bay (17), not to mention the high scoring Saints to only 17. He proved his worth.
So now that we know he’ll be back in 2010, the question is why extend his contract for three years? The answer is simple. If Jerry Jones only picked up the one year option for 2010 it would send a bad message to the players. Jones would be saying he’s not convinced Wade is the guy to lead this team into the future. Would the players react to Phillips if the season didn’t go the way he expected? So by giving Wade a three-year extension it’s telling the team that Wade is the guy and the leader of the Cowboys.
If the Cowboys regress to an 8-8 team, Wade would likely be fired. Jerry would gladly take a financial hit then instead of creating an uncomfortable atmosphere having a head coach with only a one year contract now.
So continuity wins over. Jerry would like nothing more to be playing in the Super Bowl next season when the city of Arlington hosts the event. And to continue to build on what the Cowboys accomplished this season gives them the best chance of that happening. Starting over with a new staff and philosophy would make that scenario less likely.
Wade knows the expectations are now higher than they’ve been since he took over the team three years ago. If he continues to win at the rate he’s done so far maybe fans will realize there’s more to him than how he handles a press conference or his laid back personality.
