Dolphins edge rusher Jaelan Phillips took a major step in what he called “a hell of a journey” on Monday.
Phillips was activated from the physically unable to perform list and cleared to practice for the first time since he tore his Achilles last November. While discussing that journey at a press conference, Phillips said he began the mental part of returning to full strength shortly after suffering the injury by vowing to come back as a better player than he was before he was injured.
“Probably the highest I’ve been in my NFL career, and then to be humbled just like that, it was devastating,” Phillips said, via a transcript from the team. “But right when that happened, I remembered going to the shower and I was crying. I just told myself, like ‘This is OK. I’m going to attack this. I’m going to get over this and this is going to make me stronger at the end of the day.’ I really thanked God. I really said thank you. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, because I know it’s going to make me a monster.
As part of his rehab process, Phillips said he reached out to a number of other players who have dealt with Achilles tears. That group included Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who Phillips will be trying to sack in multiple games this season. If he’s successful in that quest, he’ll likely be more a hero than a monster in Miami.