Shawne Merriman Talks With Former Defensive Coordinator and Super Bowl 50 Champion Of The Denver Broncos Wade Phillips

lot of different things. One like, what the hell is going on with some of these defenses? Um, some of these late game collapses, miss queues and coverages and all sorts of things, and how the off season and COVID and different things might have affected what's happening right now on the defense side of the ball. And another thing this coming from me, how the hell doesn't a Wade

Phillips have a job right now? Who doesn't need away Phillips? Uh, He's coached some of the greatest players in history and not putting myself up there, but whatever, uh. And there's so many different things that he can do and contribute right now in today's game and having a lot of fun with this and some of the stories me coming in as a rookie not knowing what in the hell

to do. And the favorite story that I have nowadays, uh when I talk about is coach Phillips, uh, Greg Manusky and John Pagano all bringing me back in the room and I couldn't figure out to playbook and sitting me down and saying, kid, we're gonna line you up and then after that, we want you to see ball goball. And that's my phrase. They announce to this day long after football, Sea ball, go ball. How you been, man,

I'm doing good? Yeah, just I like everybody you know, Uh, I'm about doing nothing, and and I don't start till noon, so I got a whole lot going on going on these times. You are how much football? Are you able to still watch? You still catching up and seeing all the games? Yeah? Yeah, I've watched the games and I got that all twenty two deal where you can you know, you can look at the games a little more technical

technical than just watching on TV. So you know, it's it's funny because I tell people all the time, like when you like, when I retired you started watching the game as as we did in the film room. So you know, you go to like a place and the game is on and people are yelling like, oh he that he that guy's pulled to have that guy. That's what I said, guys, listen, all right, he's supposed to dropping the flash. That's not that's not his guy. So

you still have that same mindset you're breaking film down. Yeah, well, I mean it's like, yeah, I watched the players and what they're doing, you know, and and most people are watching the ball, you know. So that's the difference. Yeah, yeah, and watching the ball and you know me, I'm watching guys on the sideline like you know, turnover or something

like that. So I'm watching body language and what So when people are talking about, hey, this, these these guys are gonna come back and approach the field and do this and do that, and I said, let me, let me look at the silo. Let me see who's piste off that they just gotta turn on. Let me see who's piste off and trying to get the offense of the defense back into the game. And that's how I just I started to determine, Um, you know what, how

that team is built well, that's for sure. And then especially nowadays where there's nobody in, there's no crowd to keep you going or get you excited or get you mad, so that you really have to all. You know, we always talked about, you know, doing it together and and that, but you really do nowadays with no crip. Nobody in stands, so there's nobody to pep you up, that's for sure.

So the enthusiasm is gonna be really honest. Yeah, And you know, I said just that because this year is different than it's been in any other year, having no off season, and I want to I want to take get back to not having off season and coming in like a guy like myself in two thousand five and I got drafted by the charges Um. I still tell a funny story that when I came in, I couldn't catch up on a playbook. The playbook was this thick, and I didn't know what the hell I was doing.

I was just flying around out there, and uh, I didn't have all season with the team. So I came on the field and I'm flying around and going all the wrong directions. I couldn't line up right. And you guys, meaning you uh, the coach mcgonod, but coach mcnannsky all you guys brought me into a room after practice and I'll never get the conversation. And you guys told me that you're gonna line me up, but after that, we want you to see ball, go ball, and like that's

that's the terminology that I love to use nowadays. Yeah, well, I mean some some people get too technical. That's pretty it's it's pretty simple game. And the teaching really is, you know, having what to do and how to do it, and then do it with a d percent effort. You know.

That's I mean, you know, I think you gotta get it down to the basics and then you gotta go like guys, well guys like you and I I didn't do that with everybody, but guys like you, you know, let them, let them, you lize their talent, you know. And um, you know you're one of my favorites. You know that, But I don't I don't know if everybody knows. I mean, you got all those sacks and I've had a lot of guys that had, you know, really a lot of sacks, but you're probably the best two way guy.

And I'm talking about playing the Run in the past. I mean you were, you were dominant in the Run in the past, and I'm not. I don't know if people give you enough credit for that, but I damn sure, Dode.

You know I appreciate that, coach, so I and I want to jump into something too, because you know, the other day all this Smith and I think also uh DeMarcus Lawrence from the Cowboys, they came out and they said, you know, we could play a lot faster if the playbook was simpler, and still to this still to this day, when I talked about coming into the NFL trying to figure things out and everything moving so fast, and how simple you made it for us, it was. It was

once we had to play, that was it. You know, sometime will come up and show different Hollywood coverages and move around pre Snapple whatever, but the play was still the same. And if someone uh you know, swap formations and went to a Power of the Week or whatever side that was, we were smart enough and caught on enough to know both positions at the same and will.

But ultimately the game was so simple for us. All you had to go out there is worried about making a play well you know people always saying people in football always say, uh, you play faster if you don't have to think, But that's not really true. You play faster if you know what to do. And so it's our job as coaches, and I'm always you know, being at it for a long time. I've seen so many coaches say blameing on players basically, but you know, he

made this metake, they made this metake. Well, I'm the teacher. They shouldn't be making those mistakes. You know. It's like I have the test right like college, I have to test, and I have all the answers and I give them to you, so you should know what to do. So I'm not doing good enough job if I don't get that done. I'm telling you right now, I would spoil you. You don't know. You're coming in from college and you

get into the pros. Uh, You you got all these new teammates, all these different characters and coaches and everybody you're trying to get used to, and you really don't understand and know how a coach can change of players really career and and ultimately make his standpoint and who

they are in NFL. Because I tell people all the time I said, I got lucky with playing in a wave fill up defense and playing for that coach and staff, because without that, I'm telling you, I don't I don't think that it would have been three Pro Bowls back to back and all those records and all the other stuff, because I got you gotta put me in the position and to make plays. You knew what I can do, and you let me go out there and and and playing the defense to to fly around. Well, that's what

you do with your best players. I mean to me, that's coaching. You can you do have to if you get, if you really get a really good player, you got, you got to put him in position where he can make the plays that he he can't make. And then then this lights out baby. So you know you know, but we knew that about you from the first day,

from the first practice, loneal found out real quick. Look every time I talk about uh that coming on that first that I think it's that third uh padded practice with the fans out there, and I was I wasn't there the off season, and I never forget reading all the clips. I think Philip even came out of something and said something like, you know all he's supposed to be here and all this other stuff, and I'm my head is about it. I'm just piste off because I'm like, man,

they just don't even know. You know, this is a contract dispute. I want to be out there. And the first day that that I got pad, it happened to be a fan practice and at night, and so I put on the pass. I'm coming out there. I'm getting all hyped up, you know, three thousand people out there, and now I just remember all these clips and people saying, oh, he should be here. Who does guy think he is? And I come running out there, and I'm talking about every time that I ran over the bag. So I

made a move to Cloud. The crowd was just clapping and he was just hyping me up. And uh we went one oh one, uh pass rush with the running backs, and uh I got up there first. Now, in this drill, you're really supposed to, you know, ola guys and and

and work work a pass rush move. But I was so piste off from what was saying and so hyped up that Loneil lorenz O'Neill uh soon to be Hall of Fame fullback and one of the best fullbacks that that that's ever played the game was right in front of me, and all I was thinking about was I'm gonna run through. I'm going to run through him and let everybody know. And uh I ran through O'Neill and I just I and I heard the crowd, that's all I heard that this the practice field stopped and I

was like, okay, cool. But he called you out too, he said I want you and that Yeah, yeah that was that was a great moment. Yeah, that's a great moment. So, uh yeah, you were You weren't rookie anymore. What what do you see like around the league now? Because people always asked asked me, like, who do some of the favorite players I like to watch? Right, so who were some of the guys that played like Meal had a different,

same type of style. Not I would always say, like Khalil mac Right, Like Khalil Mack is just if I'm looking at a guy will just he'll play the run, he'll play the pass. He can drop and coverage a little bit if you need to. But his mental pality towards a game, I'm like, man, this dude is just he's on another level. And Pagando actually when he coached him up in Oakland. He called me after the first practice and he said, your lights, This dude, Khalil mac

He's he's you. He's on another level. And I said, what do you mean? He said, this guy's flying around who who do you see? Like some of the guys now sitting back watching that resembles some of the some of the really good players you coach in the past. Well, I mean I just got through coaching Aaron Donald's you know. Oh yeah, I mean he's a beast. Huh. The thing about you and I you know, I know, I'm not

pumping you up or anything. But the thing about you and and and a lot of the great players have coached is, uh, you want to do more all the time. I mean, when we ran sprance, then you ran extra. When we lifted, you were lifted extra. When you got on when people got on the treadmill, you did extra and not only had great time, but you you went to that next level. But because you utilize your talent and that people don't People don't realize that what hard

workers some of the great players are. There's the reason they're great players, that they really worked at it. And uh yeah, I've always appreciated especially those kind of guys. And Aaron's the same way. J. J. Watt was the same way, and and uh Von Miller Von was the same way. DeMarcus Ware you know the guys I coach lately. So but Reggie white was like that when I coached you. Yeah, you know, coach, that's one that That's one thing I

always wanted to ask you. I I we never we never got a chance, and I never kind of picked your brain about some of the some of the past guys you coach. Because when I got drafted, obviously I

got the call from Wadi Shotenhamber. But the second thing I did, after I finished celebrating with my family and everybody is kind of happy and and and and you know, enjoying the moment, is I looked up all the great teams and defensive you coach, but especially the great players you know back the buff you know Buffalo days on until you know, I looked at everybody you know talk, you know, talk about Reggie white Man, and you know, because that was one of my guys and I watched

growing up, and you know, the Bruce Smills and Biscuits, but especially Reggie. Yeah, Reggie was you know. Uh he set the record with twenty one sacks, you know, um until they broke it, Uh until Strahan Rugby with twenty two. But he was, like you, he only played twelve games that year he played, he played, He had twenty one sacks and twelve games. Now you had sixteen and twelve and that's monumental. But Reggie had twenty one and twelve game because they had a stride and so we only

played twelve games, like the second year I coached him. Me, yeah, he had had twenty one sack, but it was in twelve games. So um. But he was he was a general giant, uh, with a lot of fun to be around. He always he could he could imitate everybody. I don't know how they can imitate even but he did Muhammad Ali and people, and uh, just fun to be around all the time. What a great guy, but a great player. Yeah. And I got a chance to play for UM or play with a lot of guys and a lot of

guys who don't get credit. And I'll tell people all the time still to this day that guys like Jamal Williams, right, Jamal Williams. Really No, I don't think I mean we're I appreciated them because I know that without him taking up those double teams in that space, the quarterbacks couldn't step up. You know, I got a chance to go around the corner um. But Jamal Williams was one of the greatest players I got a chance to play with.

He was. He was on another level. But he never received that notoriety because of you know one his position. It was a kind of a grimy due to a dirty work type of position man. But he was another one. There was just just a great defensive player, dominant inside and you know what he did, and I think you remember, you know he's not for a guy six six one.

Maybe he knocked have more passes than than most a in fact, how you use him and still use him as an example because if you remember, you know, guys that do things well, they work at it, and every drill, every walkthrough, when it was a pass or simulated pass in practice, he put his hands up. And that's why he knocked down so many passes, you know. And he could rush the pastor wn't he couldn't rest the pastor.

But he worked at it all the time. And like I said, he'd be he'd be watching film and and and raise his hand. So, I mean, if you work at something enough, you know that that has always proved to me, if you work at something enough that you can do better at it and get good at it. And uh, and so I used him an example of of a guy that did that all the time and and got better and and uh. I always try to use guys as an example. If I've got to, I've

got a Sean Merriman. I'm gonna tell everybody, if you play like Sean plays as hard as he plays, then then we're gonna be good. And that's that really helps coach. You made everybody good, man, I'm not gonna lie like every you know we I mean I look at the year that you know, I had the seventeen sacks, and I think that s P Seawan Phillips had twelve and Louise Castile has six. I mean, Igor and Shansky was getting his joxys there. Guys were just spreading love because

I think we had seventies sacks. Men. That's crazy, man, Nobody's come close to that. So, yeah, what do you know? No, for sure? For sure? And then so and I'm looking around the league now and I'm like, hold on, how in the hell doesn't coach Way Phillips something like one of these teams, one of these defenses don't have you there, Like I'm looking at the Falcons and the Seahawks even you know, certain parts of the Cowboys, Jackson somebody right, um,

because I just don't understand that. And you know, coach I was going through like is it maybe COVID through the off season off and and maybe they didn't have enough time to prepare for coaching staff or bring you in. But I'm I'm like, if you look at coaches, coach Phillips body of work over all the years you've been around,

somebody need your needs your help. And so if you if you sat back and thought about it, thought about that at all, well yeah, I'd like to I'd like to do something, but you know, you gotta be hired first. So but yeah, no, I mean, you know, it's it's a combination a lot of things, and part of its age, you know. I just uh, I think people think you're older and maybe you're out of touch. I don't know, but I hey, I started at the bottom and I'm

here right now. Maybe yeah, but yeah, I'm looking at it. Man, it's it's frustrating for me because whether it's age or whatever, the reasons, well maybe there's no reason at all, but it's hard. Nevers don't lie, man, it's you know, nembers just don't lie. And what you've done in the National Football League with every team you've gone to, um, you know, before way before me and after me, you just continued

to do what you've done. I just haven't seen to have any has anybody called if you talked to anybody that was interested before the season started or kind of, but it didn't work out. But you notice my little there, it is my little trophy back there. I see it. Yeah, we we almost got one. We we you know, And that's that's why you realize how hard it is to get one of those, because, uh, it's it's we had some really good teams and obviously Tom Brady Tom Brady

was pretty good too. But but uh, but I'm pretty proud of that one. I talked to LT about that all the time. In the teams that we had, oh six, definitely the old six team, but possibly even you know, the old five. When I came in with Drew Brees and we had a good team in and kind of just missed the playoffs. No. Five, well, yeah, five. I don't know if people realize that. And old four the Chargers had the first pick in the draft. I mean old five, they had the first pick in the draft. Right,

that means you're the worst team in football. And we went twelve and four, so we we that was a pretty damn good team. Pretty damn good. Yeah, and I and Les talked about it old time said, man, why couldn't we just grab you know, at least one ring out of those that that tenure that I was there, that that team that we had, and you look back on it, may we across the board. We had I think what ten or eleven pro bowler is on that oh six team? Yeah, we had we had some great players.

Need to better coaching. Sorry, uh, coach, what's so? Look? What's what? What's next? Man? What do you uh? If not this year, how long do you want to keep coaching? Do you want to have that side next year? Now? I enjoyed, you know, I enjoyed. The reason I enjoyed is for the people I'm you know, I like being around players and and coaches and being a part of it.

But you know, if it didn't for me. If it didn't doesn't work out, you know, I'm happy to be retired and watch football, enjoy that, enjoy my grandkids, you know. So uh, you know, I'm at that point in my life that you know, I am older, So I'm gonna enjoy it. You know, I'm gonna enjoy it no matter what, so coaching or not. But I do believe I could help someone. I see some bad deepens. What are you

seeing right now with these defenses and what's going on? Yeah, I thought the defenses actually would be ahead of the offense because there's no preseason, no off season. You know, usually the dfenses ahead, but it hadn't been the case. I'm I'm wondering for some of it's because you hadn't tackled anything. I think that's that's part of it. You know, you still got to get used to the speed of the game and uh and being able to tackle when when it's going full speed. So maybe that's part of it.

I do think people put in so much defense. Um, you know, they put in their full install and the players aren't ready for it. I mean, you still can't make mistakes, you know, and we we tried to make it simple, but it's not a simple game. You know, Offenses are complicated, so it makes defenses have to adjust

to a lot of things. So I just think maybe maybe they and players have said it they got too much in early because it would they put normal like they would the first game, but they hadn't any pre season, they hadn't any all seasons. So you're gonna make mistakes, mistakes get to beat. So that's what kind of the way I look at it. Yeah, and just to that point, um, you know, like you said, the offenses, I thought for sure, we're gonna come in slow because it's tim and route

is so much you gotta put into the playbook. And when I see Aldon Smith and DeMarcus Loans come out and say what they said about the playbook being too complex, uh, I said, maybe they need to dumb it down because you still have rookies. You got free agents who've come in and trying to you know, get their legs up

under him. Um, there's what barely no mini camps o t s being able to sit in that meeting room and go over things and allow these young pups, to these young guys to make these mistakes and figure out the mistakes mean film room will change the young guys year coming in learning and watching film, being able to make those mistakes and coming back back out and correct it. But they didn't have that. They didn't have any of that this offseason. So you know, to your point, you

got sometimes you gotta dumb it down. Yeah, And I think the offenses because they can you know, offenses can do stuff with no pad zone. You know, they can get a lot of their time and they can get their plays. They can really get in their whole playbook. Defenses because they haven't uh practice tackling. They haven't taken Uh it's hard to it's hard to simulate defense more than you know that. So I think that's just kind them behind a little bit. It baffles me. I can't

even put my finger around it. How someone even mid mid season, you know, four games in that they don't have you in to be a part of that staff. You know, one of these teams that they look promising, uh you know the Seahawks or something. You know, somebody that looks promising to get a ring this year, but you need to tighten that defensive. I'm surprised. Well, that's that's just part of the game, you know. You know it's a business too. You know that you've been through

it too. You know, players yet to go through it as a been. Coaches do too, so you know, it's just the way it worked out. But I'm gonna be I'm gonna enjoy what I'm doing, you know that, So even if I'm not doing anything until noon. So let's let me ask you. You get that call next year and you know it's a desirable position, are you still open to coach next year? Oh? Yeah, yeah, Like I said, I think I can help. And that's you know, Uh,

it's all about winning. You know. It's fun to play, it's it's fun to have the game, but the real thing is to be able to win, you know, and that's not that's not easy to do. People think it's easy to do, but it's not. And I've been lucky to be on with a lot of winning teams and that's what makes it even more fun. Well, of course, every everybody I talked to the play for you played against you, we all say the same thing I was.

And I was talking to Marcella's wildly the other other day when we're on the show Bank god Alway, Philip from we always say that. So man, I hopefully uh, you know, we see you coaching. I personally can't thank you enough for what you did for me and my career. Man,

And I really and I mean this. I'm not saying I really mean this because I don't believe that I would have had the success I've had without you coaching, without you guys being there and and bringing this young pup in and uh and let me let me read having man, let me get after some people in and very few coaches I can do that. And I appreciate that. Well, I appreciate you saying that, but I think you You're gonna be great no matter what. But but I was

happy to see it. And that's for sure. You made a big difference in the game and turn those lights out on. I still love that. I still love that, and and I love you. I love players, I love I love good people that that work hard like you did. And and uh, I love being part of the game. But I love the people in it and and you're certainly want to. I appreciate your coach, Love you, man always, and uh, whenever you get back on that field, hey, hey,

especially in this day and time, Yeah, especially in this day. Absolutely, you know what I'm saying. Absolutely, I love you, coach, man. I appreciate you same here. You got me, you got me, uh you got me a few years extra years coaching. I said, well, yeah, okay, well may being help with us. So thanks all right, coach. I can't wait to see you coach back coaching again next year. Man, I love you. Thanks, thanks all right. Wow, what a outstanding time with my

former coach way Phillips. As you guys can tell, he's one of the best, not only best coaches, but one of the best people around. And let's just hope and pray that Way Phillips is on somebody's coaching staff next year because he can do so much more uh in his coaching career and he's been doing it forever. Uh. So again, I had a great time with coach Phillips. Thank you guys for listening. Then thank you guys for subscribing.

Don't forget to subscribe, don't forget to rape me. Also, we've been getting great reviews and I want to keep that going. And we're gonna keep digging in. We're going to keep going. So let's go