The Eagles made a big move ahead of the NFL trade deadline to bring in edge rusher Jaelan Phillips, and things must’ve been really bad in Miami because he is loving every little thing about coming to Philadelphia — even the weather. He spoke to reporters on Thursday, after his first official practice with his new team, and didn’t dilute how happy he was about the trade.
“I mean, I thought I was excited at Day 1, talk to me now, like this is literally the greatest thing that’s happened in my whole life probably. But, it’s just, awesome. The guys are awesome, everybody’s been super welcoming. I love the environment here, I love the vibe here. City of Philly has given me a very warm welcome — I got about 20x the amount of Instagram likes I ever got on a post before from the Philly fans, so shout out to y’all. But yeah, it’s been great so far, getting out there practicing. I love the weather here, I love the locker room. Everything’s awesome.”
The fact that Phillips was excited to begin with, but that his excitement has only grown in his short time with the team, just emphasizes what has been known about the Eagles culture. Head coach Nick Sirianni spoke on Thursday about having an orientation process in place for new players, and it’s something the coaches and staff are all well-versed in to get guys up to speed. Phillips’ familiarity with DC Vic Fangio helps, too, and should allow him to acclimate a little quicker.
“I just think it’s a pivotal point in my career. I have a baby on the way — a little boy coming —, coming here, obviously contract year next year, I’m taking it day-by-day, but I just truly feel like this is an amazing opportunity for me to come in, and I’m just grateful to do everything I can to help the team.”
Things have been rough for the Dolphins, but aside from all the losing, the locker room has seemed an even bigger mess this season, so it’s nice to hear Phillips’ general appreciation for being in Philly — and what that implies about the internal vibes.
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