Jaelan Phillips provides health update at Dolphins Challenge Cancer
MIAMI GARDENS — Jaelan Phillips walked over to a few local reporters at the Dolphins Challenge Cancer bike finish line.
No, Phillips (Achilles) was not able to bike on Saturday.
But he sure looked good 13 weeks after a devastating injury.
"Check me out, man, no boot, no scooter," Phillips said with a smile.
Is Phillips ahead of schedule?
"Man, I don't know," Phillips said. "I don't know what the schedule is. But I feel strong. I feel great. I've been attacking rehab."
Phillips says he hasn't had any bad days since the injury.
"It's definitely different," Phillips said. "It's something that's kind of new to me because I've never had like a lower extremity injury like that, long-term, at least. So it's been cool experience just learning my body and figuring out what to do what's best for me."
Phillips and fellow edge rusher Bradley Chubb (ACL) have been pushing each other.
"I guess the biggest thing I've taken out of it was just understanding that God has a bigger plan," Phillips said. "You know, sometimes in life things happen. It's hard to find a reason why but the why doesn't really matter is how you respond.
"So for me, just been able to keep my head up throughout this process. And like I said, find some silver linings and just understand that I can use this time to improve on other aspects of life. So yeah, it's been great."
It can take 9-12 months to recover from an Achilles injury. So it's certainly possible Phillips does not return to the field until next October or November.
The Dolphins are releasing Emmanuel Ogbah and Xavien Howard.
The Ogbah one, in particular, hit Phillips hard.
"It's really tough for me personally, as Emanuel was somebody who I had been under his wing since I came in as a rookie," Phillips said. "So it's really unfortunate to see him go, but you know, the team's going to rally behind each other and think that we're going do great things regardless, but definitely going to miss him. Same thing goes to X. You know, those two were staples on this team for quite a while. So, you know, that's how life is. It's how the NFL is, unfortunately."
Dolphins linebacker David Long participated in a 54-mile bike ride to support DCC.
Long said he's had a chance to meet incoming defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver. How do his strengths align with Weaver's system?
"I think they go hand-in-hand," Long said. "I also met Joe Barry from Green Bay. He's cool. I think they'll fit right in."
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jaelan Phillips of Miami Dolphins updates his Achilles injury
