Jaelan Phillips – April 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
LB Jaelan Phillips
(I wanted to ask you about a couple interesting things you said on a podcast. One, hiring Ben Newman. At what point did that happen? Was it early in training camp and also I couldn’t hear what you said was the thing you wrote on the wristband? JFW?) – “Yeah, so Ben (Newman), I didn’t really hire Ben. It was more brought to me because he’s a good friend of Kaleb Thornhill’s. He did a lot of work with Alabama and some other top teams. And yeah, he’s just like a confidence coach. He has a bunch of books out and stuff about it. But really kind of what he told me and what he ingrained in me was just that positive self-talk because it’s easy to get in your head about things when things aren’t going well and just kind of get trapped in that negative cycle. But really if you just take some perspective and get outside of yourself and really try to talk to yourself positively and just focus on what you have to focus every on day, I think that really helped me a lot.”
(And was that early in training camp?) – “No, that was like midway through the season.”
(I know you talked on the podcast about early in training camp about maybe not being in the best place in terms of not wanting to let teammates and coaches down. You were hurt for a time. Was that a difficult first couple of weeks of training camp for you from that standpoint?) – “Yeah, for sure. And I kind of mentioned on the podcast, too, just how coming out of ‘The U’ (University of Miami) and how everything happened there, I was kind of riding on this high. So when I came into camp and started getting hit with some adversity again, I just had to kind of re-position myself and refocus my energy and my attention. So I ultimately ended up – I’m really grateful for the fact that that happened because in the span of the season I felt myself growing as a person. And then back to – ‘JWM – Just Watch Me.’ And that just basically evokes an emotional response from me. Just kind of having a chip on my shoulder still and just reminding myself that I still have everything to prove to myself and to haters. (laughter)”
(We spoke to you before your rookie season ended. You said that you wanted to take steps to be an every-down player. Sometimes you may have been taken off the field in non-passing situations. I guess what have you done during the offseason or maybe attempted to do to kind of make sure you’re an every-down player in Year 2?) – “I think for me it’s just a mindset thing. I think I’m just kind of taking pride in the fact that it’s almost like that chip on my shoulder, that ‘just watch me’ thing. Like people said I couldn’t play early downs. ‘All right, just watch me.’ So it’s just a mentality, having that dawg mentality, having that fight to where every single snap, it’s me against him and who’s going to win? It’s damn sure not going to be him. (laughter)”
(Do you feel that – how would you classify your rookie season? I was a little surprised to hear you talking about it in the way that you were because I thought it was a decent rookie year, but apparently you felt otherwise?) – “I’m really critical of myself and I have a lot of high aspirations and I want to do everything I can to help the team and so for me, not being able to come in every single down to help the team, that’s something where I took it on myself where I’m going to work on this. So the sacks were nice, but ultimately it’s more than just sacks. It’s more than just production. It’s about how you fit into the defense and what are you doing to contribute to the team as a whole. So yeah, I’m just constantly trying to better myself and improve the things that I need to improve on.”
(Let me ask you. You started excelling when you were in a pass rush-specific role. Do you still feel like you’re a linebacker? Do you want to be a linebacker? Do you want to play that or you want to be a hand-in-the-ground, get-up-field kind of guy?) – “I’m just trying to be the most well-rounded player that I can be, so whatever roles that the coaches see fit for me, I can fit those roles accordingly.”
(So you’re still in the linebacker room I’m assuming?) – “Yes, the outside linebacker room.”
(On the podcast, you talked about the three games means you’re not a rookie anymore, but you’re cutting the rookie tie already. I was curious, as you kind of look back at this time last year, the draft night and everything, how would you say you’ve kind of grown or your approach is different whether it’s mentally or physically, just kind of comparing where you were a year ago to this time?) – “Yeah, I think I’ve definitely toughened up on the mental standpoint of things and just learning about what the league is and how to manage my expectations like I said. But yeah, it’s crazy to think that basically a year ago tomorrow was draft night and just the whirlwind of emotions and just how this year went, it’s pretty crazy. I’m just looking to take everything from last year and just keep building on it.”
(When you look back at a year ago, the whole process leading up to the draft, the question – what were teams questioning you? Because the thought was you were going to go really high if it wasn’t for A, health or B, music and outside interests. What were teams asking you about and your thoughts on everything and how it played out?) – “Yeah, I just think every team was just doing their due diligence. It’s a big investment to draft somebody in the first round – draft somebody at all, but especially in the first round. And so for me, with the story that I had and having left the game and then retired and then come back, I just think they wanted to hear it from the horse’s mouth of what went down and just make sure that my passion was still there and everything. And I think I proved that to every single team and especially the Dolphins. Obviously they took a chance on me.”
(What were some of the questions you got? Did anything stand out? Anything any more in particular in the interviews you were given?) – “They obviously asked a lot about football knowledge and everything like that, but just who I was from a character standpoint and my upbringing and my mindset and a lot of things like that. So I mean, I probably did 60 Zoom interviews, so I couldn’t tell you specific questions – it’s all a whirlwind – but that was kind of the main theme, the main idea. Just trying to get a picture of who I was as a person.”
(Were you happy where you were taken? Obviously things work out for a reason, but did you go where you expected to go, looking back on it at all?) – “I don’t know if I expected to get drafted here, but I’m ecstatic that I’m here. I literally wouldn’t have it any other way to be able to come to ‘The U’ and then come to the Dolphins, it’s literally like a storybook. I couldn’t have written it up any better, so I’m just extremely grateful and thankful that the Dolphins took the chance on me to bring me here.”
(What kind of a sense do you get about how similar or different the defense could be with Brian Flores having moved on and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer staying?) – “Ultimately, I think Coach Boyer being the defensive coordinator, it’s his defense and so we’re doing – I don’t want to get into the details of our defense obviously. I don’t want to give anybody competitive advantage this early – but we’re just working on continuity as a defense. We’re working on communication. We’re working on just gelling together so that we’re able to play at the highest level possible.”
(What are your impressions of what it will be like going against T Terron Armstead in practice?) – “Iron sharpens iron. Everybody knows that, so just to be able to pick his brain and get different looks and experience from a guy who has clearly established himself in this league. So it’s really cool to be able to have some competition like that.”
(One thing QB Tua Tagovailoa mentioned is that he and Head Coach Mike McDaniel looked at 150 snaps of his. Have you done anything likewise in terms of some of the plays that you liked in pass rush and against the run, some of the plays you didn’t like? Have you done that on your own? Have you done it with Linebackers Coach Anthony Campanile or with Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer? And if you have, I was curious without giving anything away competitively is there anything you emerged from thinking with each in terms of I want another pass rush move or I’ve got to do something a little bit differently against the run?) – “I think it’s just like I said, that mentality. And then also just honing in the skills and just having confidence and trust in myself. I think that confidence is a huge thing in this game and any game really, but especially in football. You can’t play scared, you can’t play tentative and you can’t think because then you’re going to slow down. So for me, I’m really trying to be sharp and on point with my preparation and knowing the defense as a whole and not just my own assignment, but conceptually what we’re trying to do a defense so that therefore I can play fast, play confidently and just come into my own.”
(On that same note, going into this offseason was there anything you wanted to do physically whether it’s add weight, cut weight? Anything like that to help you be a better player, be that every-down player?) – “Yeah, just working on body re-composition, just continuously trying to build lean muscle and cut as much fat as possible and so weight-wise I feel really good. I feel like I’m running around well. I feel like I’m strong as well, so just continuously trying to improve my body and finetune some smaller muscles that you might not think about that are really good at stabilization and different lateral movements and different things like that. So just trying to prime my body for the season. No doubt.”
(You look leaner.) – “Yeah.”
(How much leaner?) – “Lean mean machine, man. (laughter) Five pounds. Literally. It’s surprising like body composition can make a huge difference. Because obviously muscle weighs more than fat, so being able to trim fat significantly – although I may look 10, 15 pounds leaner, in reality I’m almost the same weight.”
(Mentally, how much different is this offseason than last? I feel like leaving college you’re so focused on prepping for the draft and then you’re focused on acclimating to your team. This year we’ve seen you on podcast appearances, out in the community you’ve been able to do so much, yet you still have to of course hone your craft. So what has this been like mentally for you?) – “I’ve been trying to take advantage of the offseason to be involved in as many different things as possible. I think having as much time as we have, I have to spend it doing something positive and so I can kind of schedule things out to where I’m still getting my work in with football, but then I’m also able to continue some of the community work that I’ve been trying to do as well. And so the mentality this offseason, I’m feeling confident. I’m feeling a lot more focused than I was last year because like you said, you’re worried about the draft, you have anxiety and all this stuff. And so for me, being comfortable in my position and just really trying to, like I said, hone in my craft and start strong.”
(How do the great ones – you went through this already, but how do the great ones do it from the jump? Do you think about that and now do you have an idea of they do it?) – “Say that again.”
(How do the great ones, they come in rookie year and their first game and they’re rolling. You said yourself it took you a little while to get acclimated. Do you know now how that happens?) – “I think everybody develops at their own pace. I don’t know if that statement is necessarily true, I’m not saying it’s false but there have been great players that come in and don’t have success until their third, fourth year in the league. Everybody develops at their own pace and for me it was understanding that and not trying to compare myself to other people because at the end of the day, my preparation and my journey is what’s most important. For me, just like I said on the podcast, being process oriented and not result oriented because at the end of the day, you have to put in the work, you have to put in the work. So yeah, my season went the way it did but like I said, I’m looking to come into next year ready and starting fast.”
(That’s what I’m talking about, the experience that you went through last year. Something clicked there right? Towards the sixth game, something clicked there for you?) – “Yeah, like I said, I think it’s a confidence thing. It’s just being confidant in myself, being confident in my preparation and just going out on the field and leaving it all out there.”
(Do you see yourself working with a confidence coach again this year and as best as you can describe it, how much of a jump do you think you will have in year two compared to your rookie year?) – “Yeah, I mean I still talk to Ben almost every day. He texts me positive messages every morning and just positive affirmations and things like that. I definitely will continue to work with him and then just in terms of, I’m not setting any expectations for next year. I just know I’m working my ass off and really trying to be a trusted player, trusted teammate and do everything that I can for this organization.”
(This is not as deep as a draft class as last year but are there any of your former Miami teammates coming out this year that you’re looking forward to seeing at the next level?) – “Yeah, I’ve got a handful of my boys. Mike Harley is in the draft. John Ford. Zach McCloud. Charleston (Rambo), I’m pretty sure is in the draft. I didn’t play with him but DeAndre Johnson. There’s a bunch of guys. I was actually luckily able to watch Deandre and Zach perform in the local day. I got to chop it up with them, give them some advice and just congratulate them on everything they’ve done so far. It’s really exciting to see some of my friends. I have friends from other schools as well in this draft. It’s really cool to see people fulfilling their dreams.”
(Speaking of UM, I know you didn’t play with Mitchell Agude or Caleb Johnson. I think you did with Mitchell. Did you talk to both players before they transferred here and have you seen tape to have a sense of what UM is getting with each guy?) – “Yeah. I haven’t talked to Caleb Johnson yet. Mitchell I knew because he was good friends with one of my best friends from UCLA, so I’ve known him for a little while now. When I heard that he was thinking about coming to ‘The U,’ I just – I’m not a salesman. I didn’t have to give him some crazy pitch. I just laid out the blueprint and told him all you got to do is come in, put your head down, work your ass off and good things will happen. I think he made an amazing decision and I can’t wait to see what him and Caleb and the rest of the guys do at ‘The U’ this year.”
(You’ve seen Mitchell Agude on tape, right? A great athlete.) – “Oh yeah, a great athlete. Great motor. Gets after the ball. Gets after it. I’m excited to see him play.”
(You seem to be at a comfort level. Has the transition been smooth for you from the previous regime to this regime? You seem pretty upbeat and comfortable. It seems like it’s been pretty smooth.) – “Yeah. Luckily we have a lot of the same guys in the building teammates-wise and then coaches-wise on the defense, we’ve got a lot of the same staff members. Regardless, whether it’s new guys, old guys, just being able to come together and build a bond outside of football – I think that’s the most important thing because then we are going to be that much more motivated to play for each other and to win for each other. So yeah, I’m loving the new staff, building great relationships with the coaches and the new players and I’m excited for the season.”
