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Jaelan Phillips – August 1, 2023 Download PDF version

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

LB Jaelan Phillips

(Opening Statement) – “I know I spoke to a few of you guys (a couple days ago) but real quick, I just wanted to make a little announcement. DCC registration opens today. It’s going to be the 14th annual (event) on February 24, 2024. Obviously DCC is an amazing cause doing cancer research for Sylvester (Comprehensive Cancer Center). All of us have either been affected directly or have had a loved one, someone they know, affected by cancer. If you guys could spread the word for me, I’ll be serving as a board member for the second consecutive year and obviously participating in the ride this year, as well. A lot of fun things happening. A lot of money going to a great cause. If you guys could help share that information, that would be great.”

(Why did you decide to join the board and why is it so important to you?) – “Me personally, I’ve had several family members both die and be affected by cancer. So for me, it was important to join the board. I think it is a great initiative. To be able to represent my team and show what the Dolphins do as a community and the efforts that we make, it was just important for me to do. It’s really the least I can do, honestly.”

(I’ve heard you’ve ridden 100 miles the last two years. Is there training involved in that?) – “There’s a little bit of training but for me, it’s more of a mental thing, honestly. Obviously I want to do the ride because it’s a great cause but it was also a little bit of a challenge for me. When I told my girlfriend and my parents and stuff like that I was going to do it, they were like, ‘No way you can do 100 miles. You’ve never ridden a bike like that before.’ So I was like, ‘Alright, watch me.’ So yeah, it’s definitely intense. Funny enough, they’re actually changing the distances this year. They’re going to do 99 miles for Jason Taylor, 54 for Zach Thomas, (39 for Larry Csonka and 13 for Dan Marino) and kind of coordinating it with our Hall of Famers. It’s pretty cool.”

(When does your butt stop hurting?) – “(laughter) I think the better question is when does it start hurting. It starts hurting around mile 50 and then mile 60 then mile 80 is real rough. That last stretch you’re just absolutely dead and waiting for that finish line. Like I said, it’s such an amazing cause. Once you get to the finish line and see all of the people you rode with and all of the cancer survivors and stuff like that, it really is a truly fulfilling feeling.”

(This is a passing league and pass rush is kind of the counter to that. Tell me how you think this pass rush can control games or alter games, especially under Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio this season?) – “Yeah, I mean obviously pass rush is one of the major components of the game and being able to have a successful pass rush can really determine the success of the defense. Obviously everybody is important and marrying, like I’ve said before, the back end with the pass rush is important. But to be able to affect the quarterback play in and play out, whether it’s sacks, pressures, hits or hurries, it is really invaluable when it comes to – it definitely plays into the quarterback. I think with our team, we have incredible talent all around. We’ve got a lot of depth. We’ve got guys who can rush inside, outside, guys who can really do it all. So I’m really excited to see how we keep jelling together. A really cool thing about it too is I’ve played with a couple of the guys for three years now and they’ve played for four years, so we’re really cohesive as a unit. We have a lot of fun playing together.”

(Head Coach Mike McDaniel gave a good scouting report on the edges. He said you guys can basically do whatever you want so it’s hard to get a book on you. Is that accurate?) – “I mean not whatever we want. There’s limitations obviously. (laughter) But 100 percent. I think there’s obviously a little bit of freedom within the constraints of our defense. I think that’s one really cool thing about this year is being able to use our athleticism and really just attack them in different ways. I would also say the same thing for our offense, too. Not that they can do whatever they want but they’re very multiple and so it gives us a lot of challenging looks and really trains our eyes.”

(How do you think you’ve improved as a pass rusher? What is something that you’ve really gotten better that you are excited to kind of showcase when the season starts?) – “I think I’m trying to keep improving, honestly. But one thing I’ve been working on this offseason is keying on my hands, on my technique in general, my bend, top of the rush, things like that. This game is really a game of inches and I think a lot of my pressures last year, if I had just been a little bit better with my hips, with my hands, with my feet, I could have turned those into sacks. So that’s something I’m steadily trying to improve on and trying to be a technician and really master the art of pass rushing.”

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