Jaelan Phillips pumped to join Eagles after Dolphins trade

Jaelan Phillips went from one of the worst teams to one of the best, and he is stoked about it.

Phillips, who was traded to Philadelphia from the Dolphins on Monday ahead of the NFL trade deadline, was fired up following his first practice with his new team on Thursday.

“I thought I was excited Day 1, talk to me now,” Phillips told reporters. “This is literally the greatest thing that has happened to me in my whole life, probably. It’s just awesome.

“The guys are awesome, everybody’s been super welcoming. I love the environment here. I love the vibe here.”

Miami traded Phillips, a linebacker who was drafted with the No. 18 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick.

Phillips, 26, is set to be a large piece to Philadelphia’s edge rotation, having recorded three sacks and 25 tackles through nine games with Miami.

“Explosive player, able to get to the quarterback, violent in the run game, can create a lot of disruption,” Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said. “Just a lot of how we like to play that position. [Defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] having familiarity with him is obviously big.

“It takes away some of that learning curve of getting ready to go.”

Fangio is familiar with Phillips, having coached him as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins back in 2023, where the linebacker was having a career year before it was cut short with a torn Achilles.

Phillips, who is a free agent after the season, added that he is “blessed” to have the opportunity to play for one of the top teams in the NFL.

“I think everything is matching up for me to come in and try to be as productive as possible,” Phillips said. “Obviously, I’m able to be on a contender, hopefully going and winning another Super Bowl.

“I’m very blessed to be here and have this opportunity.”