Jaelan Phillips reveals ‘incredible’ first impression on playing for Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles were on their way to a fifth straight win on Sunday, leading the Dallas Cowboys 21-7 late in the third quarter. If the score held, it would have been the third straight game the Eagles had limited opponents to single digit points since bolstering their defense at a busy trade deadline. But the Cowboys bucked the trend in Week 12. The Eagles suffered an epic collapse, losing 24-21 to their division rival.
Jaelan Phillips was one of players the Eagles landed in a deadline deal, as Philadelphia acquired the star pass rusher from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick. And despite the disappointing outcome on Sunday, Phillips is thrilled to be in Philly.
“The environment is incredible. There is an aura of confidence and an expectation to win and to perform well. I think that Coach Nick’s messages and his whole philosophy when it comes to leading a team and what he expects from a team is very straight forward, which I can appreciate,” Phillips said of his new team, per SportsRadio94WIP.
Jaelan Phillips praises Eagles organization after Dolphins trade
Eagles fans weren’t feeling quite so generous Sunday, calling for Sirianni’s job after Week 12’s heartbreaking loss. The Cowboys scored 17 unanswered points against Philadelphia, winning the game on a Brandon Aubrey field goal as time expired.
Despite the setback, the Eagles still boast one of the league’s best records at 8-3 and maintain a 2.5-game division lead. And while much has been made of the lock room division surrounding Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown, Phillips had nothing but positive things to say about his new NFL home.
“I think it’s been great,” Phillips noted, complementing everyone from teammates to cafeteria workers in Philly. “It’s definitely helped me from a personal standpoint of adjusting to a new place. Obviously there’s always a little bit of nerves or anxiety when you switch environments and you don’t know anybody… But everybody’s made it super welcoming and comforting to me. So I think that’s helped me just relax and play football.”
Phillips came to the Eagles from a Dolphins team that was just 2-7 at the time of the trade. The former first-round pick went to the playoffs twice in four seasons with Miami. He has yet to win a postseason game, a trend he hopes to change this year with Philadelphia.
Former All-Pro LB Eric Kendricks could provide needed boost to 49ers defense amid injury issues
The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks to their practice squad on Wednesday, per a team announcement.
Kendricks spent the first eight years of his career with the Vikings before a one-year stint with the Chargers in 2023. He nearly signed in San Francisco during the 2024 offseason before reversing course and joining the Cowboys instead. He started 15 games and led the team with 138 tackles, marking his ninth straight season with at least 100 tackles. The 33-year-old did not re-sign in Dallas despite a significant late-season injury to DeMarvion Overshown that sidelined him into 2025.
Kendricks received little interest this offseason and declined an October invitation from the Ravens to join their practice squad. He turned Baltimore down for the same reason he spurned the 49ers last spring: his desire for guaranteed playing time, as opposed to fighting for a starting job or contributing to a rotation. San Francisco been losing defenders left and right this season, including multiple inside linebackers. Fred Warner went down with a season-ending injury in October and his replacement, Tatum Bethune, is expected to miss at least one more game with a high-ankle sprain. That will give Kendricks an opportunity to play right away, which, this late in the season, was enough to motivate a signing.
Curtis Robinson replaced Bethune when he went down in Week 11 and got the start in Week 12. He struggled, earning just a 32.0 grade from Pro Football Focus and missed two of his four tackle attempts. Kendricks will likely be an upgrade who could help the 8-4 49ers secure a playoff spot. Despite their strong record, they still sit in third place in the NFC West and may need a wild-card berth to make the postseason.
In a corresponding move to signing Kendricks, the 49ers released undrafted rookie linebacker Stone Blanton from their practice squad.
