LB Jacob Phillips (12.10.21)
On if he is going to play on Sunday after being designated to return to practice this week:
“I do not know. It is up the coaches. It is their decision. I know they want to take it slow and wanted to see me in practice, get back-to-back days and see how my body felt after those days. They do not want to rush it because I came back earlier than assumed.”
On if he initially believed his injury might be a season-ending one:
“Definitely. I have never known anybody to tear their biceps. When I first got the news that I did tear mine, I was told that my season would most likely be over. That was kind of a blow, but through it all, I just kept faith and just worked in rehab as hard as possible and hard as I could. Now, I am to the point where I could get back to practice.”
On what gave him the faith that he could come back from the injury this season:
“I really just get my strength from God. In everything, I always feel like God has always taken care of me. In this situation, it definitely would not be any different as far as how I handle it. That is really where I got my strength from. My family obviously and my teammates, just being around and sticking around the facility each day, but I am just thankful to God that he kept me sane through it all.”
On if his injury was simply a freak accident:
“I do not know. I do not feel like anything is random in life. I feel like that was just a situation that occurred for something better to happen in the end. That is just really how I take it, and that is how I live in my day to day and just anything that affects my life in my day to day. I did not take that one any different. I was still thankful. I was still grateful for everything that I have had to that point. If my season was going to be over, it was going to be over, but I am happy I have the opportunity to come back now.”
On remaining mentally prepared throughout the injury process so he would be ready to go when physically available to play:
“I just love football. I love being around the team. I love the day-in and day-out grind of it all. I showed up to every single meeting. I studied every week like I was preparing to play because that is what it takes to have teammates around where you can ask them questions. ‘Hey, what do I do on this?’ I will not be prepared to answer those if I am not prepared so every week I prepared, took notes and studied like I was going to be ready to play that week.”
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