Saints Former Head Coaches Named to Lead XFL Franchises

Two former New Orleans head coaches will be heavily involved when the XFL returns to action in 2023.

Bob Rose | Jun 4, 2022

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New Orleans Saints

Two former New Orleans Saints head coaches will coach franchises in the newly reformed XFL in 2023. Wade Phillips will head up the XFL's Houston franchise. Jim Haslett will be in charge of the Seattle franchise. Jackson County, MS native Terrell Buckley, an NFL cornerback for 14 seasons, will coach the Orlando franchise.

The XFL franchise coaches were announced on Saturday, according to Pro Football Network.

Phillips is the son of O.A. ‘‘Bum’’ Phillips, who coached the Saints from 1981 to 1985. Wade was the defensive coordinator for the Saints during that same period. He’d take over as the interim head coach for the final four games in 1985 after his father resigned. New Orleans went 1-3 with Wade Phillips as head coach.

Phillips, 74, is considered one of the better defensive coordinators in NFL history. He also had head coaching stints with the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys.

Head Coach "Bum" Phillips (in hat) and son, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips (top) were with the Saints from 1981 to 1985. Credit: crescentcitysports.com

Haslett, 66, is a former NFL linebacker who played seven years for the Buffalo Bills. He was the Linebackers coach for the Saints in 1995 before leaving to become defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. After three successful seasons for the Steelers, Haslett was brought back as New Orleans head coach in 2000.

Haslett led the Saints from a worst-to-first finish in 2000, directing New Orleans to an NFC West title and first postseason appearance in eight seasons. In the playoffs, Haslett's Saints defeated the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams in the first round. It was the first postseason victory in New Orleans franchise history.

Haslett's Saints fell short of expectations over the next four years, narrowly missing the playoffs each season. His team was relocated in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast region.

New Orleans finished 3-13 in 2005, leading to Haslett's dismissal after the season and a 46-52 record with the team. Haslett was replaced with Sean Payton.

Former New Orleans Saints coach Jim Haslett. Credit: crescentcitysports.com

A native of Pittsburgh, PA and graduate of IUP, Haslett has been a defensive assistant for the Rams, Redskins, Bengals, and Titans since leaving New Orleans.

This is the third attempt for the XFL. They originally debuted in 2001, running for just one season. Another unsuccessful attempt in 2020 was derailed because of bankruptcy and the Covid-19 pandemic.

This reboot will include eight teams in Seattle, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Washington DC, Las Vegas, Orlando, and St. Louis. Franchise nicknames have not yet been announced.

The XFL will be led by majority owner Dwayne ‘‘The Rock’’ Johnson. They'll play a 43-game regular season schedule in the spring of 2023.

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