Jordan Phillips – May 30, 2017
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Tuesday, May 30, 2017
DT Jordan Phillips
(Just your thoughts on the increased role you’re going to have? With DT Earl Mitchell’s departure, the likelihood of you playing a lot more snaps – are you looking forward to it? Do you feel you are ready for it at this point in your career?) – “Yes, I’ve grown up a lot. I’m ready for the new opportunity. I’m ready to help the team the way I need to.”
(As far as growing up a lot, can you explain what you mean by that?) – “It’s my third year. I’ve been under the wing of (Ndamukong) Suh for a while and the rest of the guys in the room. I know what to do. I know how to get it done. I’m ready for the challenge.”
(What has your offseason been like as far as your training, body up and down? Anything like that?) – “It has gone (well). Like I said, I’m just ready for the challenge. I went out to Portland and worked out with (Ndamukong) Suh. I feel like my mind is better than it has been. That was my main thing, just trying to get head strong.”
(What do you mean specifically as far as your mind is better?) – “Just finding tips and tricks on how to get me going and stay consistent with that. Just keep my motor going.”
(Regarding workouts or your play?) – “Both. I mean the same thing. How do I phrase it? It was just the hot and cold motor you guys see every once in a while. (I’m) just (trying to find) tricks to keep it going – getting head strong. I don’t really know how to…”
(You sound like you’ve been pretty brutally honest with yourself as far as evaluating your play. Is that…?) – “Well, I’ve got to step up. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. It’s a big year for me. The team is looking for me to do what I need to do, so that’s what I’m here to do.”
(Was there a conversation you had with Head Coach Adam Gase that kind of spurred all of this?) – “Not at all. I’m just looking at myself in the mirror and what I need to do, and that’s be better. So that’s what I’m going to do.”
(When did that happen, that kind of soul searching?) – “Probably when I got benched last year for those few games. It just opened my eyes to ‘Hey, you’ve got to go in week-in and week-out and do what you need to do, otherwise, you’re going to be put on the bench and you’re not going to play.’”
(So not being hot and cold, just staying hot all the time … That’s a change in mindset, it sounds like you’re saying?) – “I mean I wouldn’t say it’s a change in mindset. Now I just have ways to know what’s going to happen.”
(How would you describe your workouts with DT Ndamukong Suh?) – “I’m just going to keep those private. They did what they needed to do.”
(Are you noticing a difference already on the practice field?) – “I feel like that, but the coaches can speak on that.”
(Just from a stamina standpoint in terms of playing more snaps, anything you’ve had to do or are going to do over the course of the next two months body-wise?) – “I have some weight to lose. I’ll try to get down to a better (weight). I played at 336 (pounds) last year. I’m trying to get down to about 320 (pounds) and see where that takes me.”
(Where is your weight at now?) – “Right around 335 – somewhere in there.”
(You’ve always been very brutally honest about your performance. Where does that come from?) – “You guys see what I do on Sundays. There is no use in sugarcoating it. Everybody knows (so you) might as well be honest with yourself.”
(Did you come out of the last two years unsatisfied?) – “One-hundred percent. (I’m a) second-round pick that hasn’t done what I’ve needed to do so far. It’s time to step up.”
(How close are you to being the player that you want to be? I know that’s a strange question. Will it happen this season? Or do you think the first part of this season?) – “I’ll let my play show for itself.”
(When you talk about a hot and cold motor, is that effort or concentration or a combination of the two? What specifically are you seeing that is the cause of that?) – “There are a lot of variables that go into it. Just technique-wise, stamina, knowing the schemes, knowing football in general. I feel like I’m ahead of the curve than I was a couple years back.”
(Knowing schemes, how important is it that former Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph’s replacement came from within with Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke?) – “I guess it wasn’t our scheme. It was just studying more film on the opponents and stuff like that. I know our scheme really well.”
(But you won’t have to learn a new defensive scheme.) – “Yes. That helps a lot. We’re rolling right into it. We have some different stuff; we have some same stuff. We caught onto it well and we’ll see where it goes.”
(How will you know if and when you reach your full potential?) – “When I’m an All-Pro defensive tackle and I make the Pro Bowl.”
(What have you liked about your game since you’ve been in the league? What are some of the things that you’ve done well or that you’ve liked that you’ve done?) – “Last year was a big jump for me. I felt like I ran to the ball really well. I made some big plays and I’ve just got to get more of them, I guess.”
(Your interception, where does that rank on your list of achievements and what went right for you on that play?) – “I mean that’s not that high (on the list) for me. That’s not what a defensive tackle does. I’d rather be more of a run stopper and kill the run than dropping back and intercepting balls. It was fun. I enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong. But that’s not what I’m here to do.”
(This mindset that you speak of, how much of it, if any, might be a result of either working out with DT Ndamukong Suh or just talking with him and maybe getting advice from him?) – “Like I said, I’m just going to keep all of that stuff private.”
(DT Ndamukong Suh put a lot of the blame on his shoulders for last season with the rush defense. Is that fair?) – “Not at all. We’re a unit. We’re a great unit. We had some things that didn’t go the right way – some people out of gaps, some missed tackles. We’re plays away from being a great defense and we’ll do that this year, I hope.”
(What is unique about Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke’s leadership style and personality?) – “I honestly couldn’t tell you. He’s another young guy like (Head Coach Adam) Gase. He relates to all of us well. He’s just fun to be around. He brings a lot of energy.”
(What’s the accountability like for you in that corner of the locker room when you have guys like DT Ndamukong Suh and DE Andre Branch and DE Cameron Wake – some veterans?) – “Obviously we have a lot of money in our room. (laughter) We get paid the way we do for a reason. A lot of things depend on us and we’ve just got to get it done.”
(How much do those guys hold you specifically accountable though, because they have such a high standard of play for that unit?) – “I wouldn’t say they affect that at all, because we all have high standards for ourselves. With the unit, it’s more us putting pressure on ourselves to play the way that they do. It’s not more of them saying anything. I mean you don’t want to disappoint them. You know what they’ve done, the accomplishments they have, so it’s just living up to what they can do and try to be better.”
(You mentioned earlier finding tricks to make it not as hot and cold. Have you found one that works?) – “I guess you guys will see when I play.”
