NFL COACHES CAROUSEL: Dallas Cowboys TE coach Wes Phillips joins Washington Redskins
IRVING, Texas – The Dallas Cowboys have lost another coach. Tight ends coach Wes Phillips is heading to the Redskins after meeting with the club in Washington on Thursday.
Club officials at Valley Ranch have confirmed Phillips is leaving. Phillips even changed his Facebook profile picture to a Washington Redskins logo.
Phillips joined the Cowboys in 2007 on his dad’s first staff in Dallas. Wade Phillips made his son a quality control coach but Wes eventually worked his way up to assistant offensive line coach and then tight ends coach this past offseason, long after Wade Phillips was fired as head coach in the middle of the 2010 season.
Wes Phillips’ contract expired after the 2013 season so he was technically a coaching “free agent.” He will likely become the Washington Redskins tight end coach after Sean McVay was promoted from that position to offensive coordinator by new head coach Jay Gruden.
Phillips’ seven years with the Cowboys will likely be a great asset to a new coaching staff unfamiliar to the NFC East. Not only does Phillips know the Dallas Cowboys offense inside and out, along with most of the defensive personnel, but he’s also studied the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles closely as well in his preparations to play these division rivals twice a year.
So far this offseason, the Cowboys have lost four coaches whose contracts had expired – assistant special teams coach Chris Boniol, offensive assistant Dave Borganzi, and assistant coach Mikal Smith. Borganzi and Smith, the son of new Bucs coach Lovie Smith, both went to Tampa Bay. Boniol said it was a “mutual decision” to part ways with the Dallas Cowboys.
Other coaches whose contract have expired include Ben Bloom, Joe Baker, and Keith O’Quinn, who could be a candidate to replace Phillips as tight ends coach.
DON’T KILL THE MESSENGER: It’s about execution, not who’s calling the plays
Jason Garrett might give up play-calling duties to Bill Callahan. Then, again, maybe he won’t. Both Garrett and Callahan spoke to the media this week, but it remains a mystery about who will actually call the plays for the 2013-2014 Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas tight end Jason Witten said it’s not about who calls the plays, but how they are executed. The Cowboys were sixth in total offense last season, but they were only 15th in scoring.
“I think more’s been made of that than probably needs to be as far as a player’s perspective just because it’s all about execution for us,” Witten said Friday night in Fort Worth. “We’ve got to execute those plans better. We’ve got good plays, and we’ve got some good players, but we’ve got to do a good enough job of executing time and time again. That’s where I focus is on as players, I think, and that’s where it needs to be moving forward.”
The Cowboys offense is expected to look much the same as it has since Garrett became the offensive coordinator in 2007 regardless whether he or Callahan is calling the plays.
The Cowboys hope to run the ball better. They were 31st in rushing, with a franchise-low 1,265 yards for a 16-game season. They need to protect it better, too, having turned it over 29 times, and they want to score more points in the red zone (25 touchdowns in 49 red-zone trips, ranking 20th in the league).
“We just need to do a better job of scoring and taking care of the ball collectively and not putting ourselves in those situations where we’re having to come from behind,” Witten said.
Witten will have a new position coach after six seasons with John Garrett. Witten had 554 catches for 6,110 yards and 30 touchdowns the past six seasons, an average of 92 receptions for 1,018 yards and five touchdowns. He set an NFL record for a tight end with 110 catches in 2012.
But John Garrett departed for Tampa Bay to become the Bucs receivers coach, and Wes Phillips was promoted from assistant offensive line coach. Phillips is the son of former Dallas head coach Wade Phillips and was retained by the Cowboys after Wade Phillips was fired.
“I am excited for Wes,” Witten said. “I think Wes breaks that label of ‘I got in because of my dad.’ He’s proven he’s a good football coach. He’s a young, fiery guy. John was a guy was near and dear to me. I think what we were able to accomplish over the last six years is special. He pushed me every day, and as good as he was as a coach, he was a better man. But Wes has been in the receiving end. He’s also been on the line. I think he’ll be a perfect mix. I’ve enjoyed working with him. I think we share a lot of the same beliefs as far as how you prepare and attack a game plan. So I’m looking forward to that opportunity.”
SCOUT TEAM SUCCESS STORY: Dallas Cowboys tight end James Hanna emerged thanks to Kyle Orton
James Hanna began to deliver on the Dallas Cowboys’ investment in him late last season, and one person they can thank is backup quarterback Kyle Orton.
He stayed on the rookie tight end’s case, and it paid off, said new tight ends coach Wes Phillips.
“People saw the end result where he started making plays, but we also saw when he was running scout team at the beginning of the year and Kyle Orton is on him every single day about how to practice, how to be a pro, how to work,” Phillips said Thursday in meeting reporters for the first time in his new job. “He really made some strides.”
Hanna, drafted in the sixth round out of Oklahoma last year, caught a pass in the season opener – his only catch for the first 12 games – but had seven catches in the last four games.
“He really impressed us as far as his work ethic and how he went about his job,” Phillips said. “Learning how to finish, learning how to go about meetings and study and prepare, all those sort of things. He’s a very intelligent guy, and we’re looking forward to continuing his development.”
COACHES ROSTER SET: Jason Garrett introduces his finalized coaching staff; discusses new hires
IRVING, Texas – In his first press conference since the end of the regular season, Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett tried to use the setting to discuss the new faces on his coaching staff.
While he was able to do that, the focus shifted quickly to the issue of play-calling and the possible change next season involving Bill Callahan’s role on the sidelines.
Whether or not Callahan’s situation will be different, many faces surrounding him certainly will be.
Garrett shared some stories about the new coaches, including his involvement with the former Buccaneers assistants Monte Kiffin, Rod Marinelli and Rich Bisaccia when Garrett played for Tampa Bay in 2004.
Here’s a short briefing from Garrett on each of his new assistants, including Wes Phillips who has been here for six seasons but is now the new tight ends coach.
Garrett on defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin: Early on, I think he was on to me because every day
after practice I would walk up to him and ask him a football question. He’s a very generous and gracious guy. I learned not only from watching him and how he handled himself and meetings, but just being around him. He’s very gracious and generous. We developed a relationship back then. My respect level for him is really off the charts. We’re fortunate to have him here to coordinate this defense. He’s done it better than anyone else has.
Garrett on defensive line coach Rod Marinelli: He’s one of those guys who talks about the greatness of
the game of football. He talks about preparing the right way. There’s great honor about playing and coaching this game and doing it the right way. The way he conducted himself that year I was around him, was really, really impressive to me. As impressive as a football coach as I’ve ever been around.
Garrett on special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia: He’s been one of the premier teams guys in the league. He just has an infectious personality. It’s particularly important for a special teams coach.
He’s got a great demeanor. The players play as hard for him as I’ve ever seen players play for any coach. He’s a great teacher, loves the game. He’ll be a great resource for us. He’ll make this team better.
Garrett on wide receiver coach Derek Dooley: When I was a player here in the 90’s, he was coaching receivers at SMU. Our relationship goes back that far. We coached together on Nick Saban’s staff with the Dolphins in 2005-06. We’ve known each other well. He played receiver at Virginia and has a great receiver background. He and I know each other well. He knows our system and I think that transition will be really good for us.
Garrett on tight end coach Wes Phillips: He’s really someone who is my right-hand man. We spent some time together putting the offense in a number of years ago. He’s really been a great asset and resource for me. Wes was a quarterback himself and coached receivers earlier in his career.
Garrett on running back coach Gary Brown: He’s really a guy I have a tremendous amount of respect for. I’ve known him for afar and competed against him. This is really a football guy. I’m excited about him. Often times, guys that play in the NFL don’t have a willingness to do what’s necessary to coach at this level. He’s a really bright guy. He’s someone who is a really, really good teacher. I know him the least of the guys we hired but I might be as excited about him as anybody else.
Garrett on asst. offensive line coach Frank Pollack: Frank played for Bill Callahan at Northern Arizona in the late 80’s and they go way back. Some of the contributions he can make, along with his relationship with Bill, can make us a really good football team.
OFFSEASON EVALUATION: Jason Garrett and the Dallas Cowboys offense continues to evolve
Jason Garrett likes where the Cowboys are offensively, but he also thinks they can be even better.
The Dallas Cowboys coach said they have evaluated the offense over the past six seasons since he arrived in Dallas as offensive coordinator. The past six seasons combined, the Cowboys rank fourth in total offense (370.7 yards per game), seventh in scoring (24.1), fourth in passing (262.0) and 22nd in rushing (108.6).
“You look at those things, and you say, ‘Boy, a lot of that stuff is pretty good,'” Garrett said. “You say, ‘OK, we want to build on that stuff. We want to continue down that track with our offensive football team.'”
Garrett, however, will give up play-calling duties for 2013. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan likely will take over that role. The Cowboys made four changes to their offensive coaching staff, with Wes Phillips moving from assistant line coach to tight ends coach, newcomer Frank Pollack taking over as assistant offensive line coach, Derek Dooley being hired as receivers coach and Gary Brown coming in as running backs coach.
The Cowboys will see some changes in personnel, too, though maybe not many with Felix Jones, Kevin Ogletree and John Phillips as the only unrestricted free agents on offense. None of those three is a starter. Center Phil Costa is a restricted free agent. Dallas again might be looking to shore up its offensive line after adding a pair of free agent guards in Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau last off-season.
“This is an opportunity to add some people, add some influence to our offense,” Garrett said, “and hopefully it’s a tweak for us that can help us get a little bit better and help us break through as a football team. So that’s really the approach right now. We want to stay on the same track, but also we want to add coaches to our staff that can really help us break through.”
Despite being one of the league’s best offenses, the Cowboys are 55-41 over the past six years with only two playoff berths. They are 1-2 in postseason games in that stretch.
COACHES ROSTER: Wes Phillips will coach tight ends; Pollack to assist with offensive line
The Dallas Cowboys announced today (Tuesday) that Wes Phillips will coach tight ends next season after spending the last two seasons as the offensive line assistant.
Phillips, son of Houston Texans defensive coordinator and former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips, has been with the Cowboys since 2007.
The club also announced the hiring of Frank Pollack as the assistant offensive line coach. Before spending last season as the Oakland Raiders offensive line coach, Pollack spent five seasons with the Houston Texans as assistant offensive line coach.
The hiring of Pollack immediately sparked speculation that the Cowboys will soon assign play-calling duties to offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who coached Pollack at Northern Arizona in 1987-88.
RELATED: Cowboys lighten Bill Callahan’s load with new hires
The Dallas Cowboys announced two more additions to the coaching staff, naming Wes Phillips tight ends coach and former 49ers lineman Frank Pollack assistant offensive line coach.
The hiring of Pollack is presumably part of an effort to free up offensive line coach Bill Callahan for more duties. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and head coach Jason Garrett have talked about Callahan’s role in play-calling next season.
Phillips’ addition is no surprise. He is the son of former Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips and has been with the organization for six years, starting in 2007 as an offensive quality control coach.
Pollack, 45, joins the Cowboys after spending last year as the Raiders’ offensive line coach. He spent the previous five seasons as the Texans’ assistant offensive line coach, working with All-Pro left tackle Duane Brown and Pro Bowl center Chris Myers.
Pollack began coaching at his alma mater, Northern Arizona, in 2006 as the co-offensive line coach. He is a former sixth-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers (1990) and played for the team for two years and Denver for two years before returning to the 49ers for his final five seasons, including a Super Bowl championship.
COACHES ROSTER: Meet the 2013-14 Dallas Cowboys coaching staff
There have been a number of changes in the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff over the offseason. Here’s an updated list of the assistant coaches and links for more detailed information on each of them. This page will be updated if any other changes are made.
DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD COACH
Jason Garrett was named the eighth head coach in Dallas Cowboys history on January 5, 2011. Garrett, who played for or worked alongside four of his predecessors, became the first former Dallas Cowboys player to become the team’s head coach.
DALLAS COWBOYS COACHING STAFF
| Offensive Coaches | Defensive Coaches | Specialty Coaches |
| Jimmy Robinson Asst. Head Coach/Wide Receivers |
Monte Kiffin Defensive Coordinator |
Mike Woicik Strength and Conditioning |
| To Be Determined Tight Ends/Passing Game Coord. |
Jerome Henderson Secondary |
Chris Boniol Assistant Special Teams/ Kickers |
| Wade Wilson Quarterbacks |
Matt Eberflus Linebackers |
Brett Bech Assistant Strength and Conditioning |
| Bill Callahan Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
Rod Marinelli Defensive Line |
Rich Bisaccia
Special Teams |
| Wes Phillips Assistant Offensive Line |
Ben Bloom Quality Control/Linebackers |
|
| Keith O’Quinn Off. Quality Control/Wide Receivers |
Joe Baker Assistant Secondary |
COACHES ROSTER: Meet the 2013-14 Dallas Cowboys coaching staff
There have been a number of changes in the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff over the past few years. Here’s an updated list of the assistant coaches and links for more detailed information on each of them.
DALLAS COWBOYS HEAD COACH
Jason Garrett was named the eighth head coach in Dallas Cowboys history on January 5, 2011. Garrett, who played for or worked alongside four of his predecessors, became the first former Dallas Cowboys player to become the team’s head coach.
DALLAS COWBOYS COACHING STAFF
| Offensive Coaches | Defensive Coaches | Specialty Coaches |
| Jimmy Robinson Asst. Head Coach/Wide Receivers |
Monte Kiffin Defensive Coordinator |
Mike Woicik Strength and Conditioning |
| To Be Determined Tight Ends/Passing Game Coord. |
Jerome Henderson Secondary |
Chris Boniol Assistant Special Teams/ Kickers |
| Wade Wilson Quarterbacks |
Matt Eberflus Linebackers |
Brett Bech Assistant Strength and Conditioning |
| Bill Callahan Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line |
Rod Marinelli Defensive Line |
|
| Wes Phillips Assistant Offensive Line |
Ben Bloom Quality Control/Linebackers |
|
| Keith O’Quinn Off. Quality Control/Wide Receivers |
Joe Baker Assistant Secondary |
This post has been revised. Please click HERE.
Dallas Cowboys 2012 coaching staff nears completion
Running backs coach Skip Peete, whose contract was set to expire at the end of the 2011 league year, has signed a new two-year deal. Assistant offensive line coach Wes Phillips and offensive quality control/wide receivers coach Keith O’Quinn also will return with new deals.
The Cowboys introduced their two new coaches — secondary coach Jerome Henderson and offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Bill Callahan — Thursday. Their staff is complete, Jason Garrett said, aside from an assistant secondary coach to help Henderson.
"Jerome is the secondary coach; he is the head secondary coach so to speak," Garrett said. "In the last few years, we’ve had kind of dual secondary guys. Jerome is going to coach the secondary, but we are going to look into hiring a secondary assistant. We’re starting that process here really in the next few days, and hopefully we’ll get it done here in the next couple of weeks."
Brett Maxie and Dave Campo split the secondary duties the past four years. Campo was not retained, and he left to become the defensive coordinator at the University of Kansas.
The Cowboys wanted to have Henderson split the duties with Maxie, but Maxie decided to leave for the Tennessee Titans.
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