Ron Heflin / AP

Wade Phillips makes a statement after being named head coach of the Cowboys during a news conference Thursday. Phillips received a three-year contract that includes an option for a fourth season.

Besides carrying on his family tradition, Phillips has handled the dubious task of replacing Super Bowl coaches Dan Reeves in Denver and Marv Levy in Buffalo. So the idea of following Parcells doesn’t bother him.

Parcells, who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, went 34-32 in four years in Dallas and lost twice in the playoffs. He implemented the 3-4 scheme in Dallas two years ago, and has built a roster suited for it, highlighted by end-turned-linebacker DeMarcus Ware.

“I love the defense that San Diego plays, and I think our team has guys who could play great roles in it,” Ware said Thursday from the Pro Bowl.

Yet the defense was the weak link last season, when Dallas went 9-7 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Cowboys lost four of their last five games, including the last three, mainly because they couldn’t stop teams.

Phillips, meanwhile, was helping the Chargers go 14-2. They allowed the seventh-fewest points in the NFL and were rated 10th in total defense.

Phillips was born in Orange, Texas, and played college ball at Houston. He joined his dad’s staff with the Oilers as a linebackers coach in 1976 and has been in the NFL ever since, except for 2001.

He stayed with the Oilers through 1980, then followed his father to New Orleans and became defensive coordinator at age 34. He replaced his father as head coach for the final four games of the 1985 season.

Phillips then was in charge of the defense in Philadelphia (1986-88) and Denver (1989-92), taking over as coach of the Broncos for 1993 and ’94. His teams went 16-16.

The next three years were spent as defensive coordinator in Buffalo, followed by three years as the Bills’ coach and vice president of football operations. The Bills were 29-19 under his guidance.

He was Reeves’ defensive coordinator in Atlanta in 2002 and ’03. He went 2-1 as Reeves’ replacement at the end of ’03, then went to San Diego.

Phillips has a son, Wes, who coaches at Baylor, and a daughter, Tracy, who is an actress.

More news

NBC Sports

The New York QB battle has begun

  PFT Live: Mike Florio wonders whether Tim Tebow will push Mark Sanchez to perform in 2012, or push him out of the starting spot.

PFT: Tebow and Sanchez stress competition

Headlines

• Label

PFT Live: Top picks bring QB competitions

PFT Live: Cardinals' DB Campbell is excited

PFT: Polamalu thinks kids should play football

PFT: Vanderjagt attacks kid for 'wide left' taunt?

PFT: Charlie Sheen says he didn't buy LT's ring

PFT: HBO wants 'Hard Knocks' team locked in by 6/1

PFT Live: Is Cowboys' title window closing?

Saints' defense learning Spagnuolo's way