Jaelan Phillips – October 12, 2021
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Tuesday, October 12, 2021
LB Jaelan Phillips
(It seems like every week you are making more and more strides. You got your first half-sack the week before and then getting your first solo sack this week, how did that feel? And having it come against QB Tom Brady, which you mentioned previously is a guy that’s been playing as long as you’ve been alive pretty much.) – “It’s funny that you ask that because people keep asking me what it felt like to sack Tom Brady. I said it before the game, your opponents are kind of nameless and faceless. So honestly to me, it didn’t really feel like anything more than just a sack. Frankly, we’re not getting it done on defense so me getting a sack in a game doesn’t really mean too much in the grand scheme of things. I just think we need to keep improving. I need to keep improving what I’m doing, my technique and my assignments, and we definitely need to keep improving as a defense.”
(Just wanted to get your thoughts on the trip to London. Have you been overseas before? What is your excitement level? As a player, obviously there’s a lot of travel involved and it’s a long flight. Are you looking forward to the trip? Are you kind of dreading the flight? What are your thoughts on the game itself and the trip coming up?) – “I’m definitely looking forward to it. So my aunt, Shawnee, was stationed out in Germany. She was in the Army. She was in the band in the Army. So my sister and I, when I was probably 11 or 12 years old, flew out to Germany and we did like a trans-Euro trip where we went from like the Netherlands to Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, France. I’ve actually never been to the U.K. but I’ve always wanted to so I’m super excited. I love traveling. I think we’re like an hour away from London, so it’s not like we get to do a bunch of touristy things, which would have been cool. I’m definitely excited to go. It will be fun.”
(You mentioned that you wanted to sort of pick things up collectively on defense to get more pressure, so what does it take for a defense to get more rush? Is it individual guys winning their matchup? Is it scheme? How do you think the guys can more effectively put pressure on this week that can lead to a win?) – “I think most importantly, we have to stop the run on early downs. We have to stop the leaky yardage and that way we can get to those get-back-on-track and passing scenarios. Then once we do have those opportunities, it’s about coordinating the rush between the ends and the tackles, and just getting everything how it’s supposed to be. Like I said, we’ll just keep working to come together as a group and keep improving on what we’re doing, and just keep it pushing.”
(Going back to training camp and even some of the game weeks, in the media viewing portion of practice, sometimes we notice that you are working alone with a couple of coaches during position groups. Is there something specific you guys work on in those instances or is it as simple as you’re kind of a hybrid edge defender so it’s not like you’re only an outside linebacker or only a defensive end? You’re kind of in a position of your own.) – “I wouldn’t say that necessarily because we’ve got guys who do multiple things. But for me, just working with the coaches individually, you know I’m a young guy. I haven’t had any experience in the league. So for me, it’s really essential for me to get my techniques and fundamentals down because if I don’t have those, then I can’t do anything. So I make sure to work extra with the coaches and they’ve done a great job of making sure that they’re on me constantly to just try to hone in and hone in. It takes 100,000 reps or something like that to perfect it. So for me, I’m just getting started really and just trying to hone in on my craft.”
(I have a question for you about the University of Miami. Obviously with the news that Tyler Van Dyke is going to be the starting quarterback, you spent a year with him. I just wanted to get your thoughts on Tyler after spending the year with him and what were your impressions of him?) – “Yeah, ‘TVD’ is awesome. He’s a great kid. He’s hungry and very poised. I remember when he came in last year, he seemed like he was older than his years. I think last game he did pretty well and kind of got into the flow of things, so I can only expect him to go up from there and keep getting better. I think the Canes are definitely in good hands with ‘TVD.’”
(I found it very interesting that getting your first full sack on QB Tom Brady, you’re not thinking about the opponent. But it’s also Tom Brady. I understand right now you are in the middle of the season, but do you think 20-25 years from now, you’re going to look back and say ‘I got the GOAT. My first sack was against Tom Brady.’) – “Oh trust me, I got the game ball from equipment afterwards. (laughter) Like I said, the more important thing here is us improving as a team and as a defense. But yeah, obviously that’s definitely something you tell your grandkids. I’ve been jersey swapping every week so I have this vision when I’m older and have my bigger house and I’ve got my little man cave, I’m going to have all the jerseys hung up and all of the collections I have. That ball will definitely be a staple in the collection.”
(I have to follow up by asking you more about the jersey swapping. Tell me some of the guys you have so far and if you had your choice of two or three guys in the NFL, who I could hand deliver to you right now, what jerseys would they be?) – “So the first week I didn’t do anybody. I don’t know anybody on the Patriots. But then Greg (Rousseau) against the Bills, I had to get his jersey. Kolton Miller against the Raiders, I played with him at UCLA so I got his jersey. Bobby Okereke on the Colts, he hosted me on my first official visit to Stanford, so I got his jersey. Then last week I got K.J. Britt, who I was at The Opening and the Rivals camps and stuff with. Then two guys I really want are Von Miller, just because he’s a guy that I’ve looked up to for a long time and we’ve actually had a couple of back and forths on Instagram and stuff. So that would be really cool to get his jersey. And then I would say probably somebody like JJ Watt or somebody. One of these elite d-ends that I’ve been watching since I was a kid. That would be really cool to get their jersey.”
(Sticking to the Canes angle, you mentioned swapping with Gregory Rousseau. Did you get a chance to watch what he was able to do on Sunday Night Football with the Bills?) – “Oh yeah, I was watching it live when he got that. And I was with ‘GB’ (Gilbert Frierson) and Nesta Silvera, so we were going crazy when we saw that. That was awesome.”
(You’re really navigating this first year in the league together from afar. How often do you guys keep in touch? How much do you and Gregory Rousseau talk about what you’re going through and whatnot?) – “We talk now and then. Greg and I didn’t play together, so we didn’t have that bond. Like we weren’t ever super close. But we just have a mutual respect for each other and I definitely tap in with him to see how he’s doing. Quincy Roche is somebody who I obviously was really close to because we got to play together. He was somebody who I talk to basically every week and just see how things are going up there and he asks the same thing. I love keeping tabs on the guys that I play with and I just want to see everybody have great success.”
