Bum Phillips
A folksy, cowboy-hat-wearing football coach who turned the Houston Oilers into contenders with a plainspoken, player-first philosophy.
1923–2013 (age 90)·American football coach·Birthday: September 29·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bum Phillips looked like he walked off a ranch, which he often had, and coached football with the straightforward wisdom of a Texas rancher. After a long apprenticeship in the high school and college ranks, he got his NFL break as the defensive coordinator for the Houston Oilers. Promoted to head coach in 1975, he transformed a struggling franchise into a powerhouse built around the 'Luv Ya Blue' defense and star running back Earl Campbell. His teams, known for their punishing ground game, reached back-to-back AFC Championship games. Phillips's persona—the trademark Stetson, his boots, and his gravelly-voiced, quotable press conferences—made him a folk hero in Texas. His later stint with the New Orleans Saints was less successful, but his legacy is one of authentic leadership. He was less a tactical genius and more a master motivator who believed football should be hard, simple, and fun for those who played it.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bum was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bum Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Bum's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Died at 90
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- As head coach, led the Houston Oilers to consecutive AFC Championship games in 1978 and 1979.
- Coached Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell during his prime, building the Oilers' offense around him.
- Posted a 59-38 record with the Oilers, the best winning percentage in franchise history at the time.
- His 1980 Oilers defense led the NFL in fewest points allowed.
- Won the AFC Central Division title in 1978 and 1979.
Did You Know?
He famously never wore his cowboy hat indoors, considering it disrespectful; the Astrodome was the only exception because it was 'the Lord's house'.
He served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II.
His nickname 'Bum' was given to him by his younger sister who couldn't say 'brother' properly.
After being fired by the Oilers, a local newspaper ran the headline 'Bummed Out'.
He owned and operated a ranch in Texas during and after his coaching career.
“There's two kinds of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired.”
