The Chargers’ star special teams player is up next! Let’s get to know linebacker and ST ace Del’Shawn Phillips!
Height: 6’2
Weight: 230 pounds
College: Illinois
Experience: 7
Phillips hails from Highland Park, Michigan where he starred as Cass Tech High School. Originally committed to Western Michigan, Phillips was ruled academically ineligible and needed to step away from the sport to get his grades in order.
After taking a year away from football, Phillips joined the team at Garden City Community College. He had a standout freshman season with 12.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. In his sophomore season at Garden City, he helped his team win that year’s NJCAA National Championship. After committing initially to play for the University of Arizona, he wound up swapping to Illinois.
Earning a job right away with the Illini, he recorded 84 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a sack in his first season in the Big Ten. He was named a team captain as a senior and capped off his career with a 95-tackle, four-interception season en route to earning Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honors.
Phillips ended up going undrafted in 2019. After the event, he signed as a UDFA with the Falcons, ultimately being included in the team’s final cuts later that year.
In October of 2019, he signed with the Bills practice squad where he would remain for the rest of the season. In January, he signed a reserve/futures contract.
During Buffalo’s season opener, Phillips made his debut but suffered a quadriceps injury. That injury lingered until he was placed on injured reserve in October. He was activated a month later but was put back on IR within the same week. He was later waived by the team after the season.
In 2021, Phillips signed with the Jets and landed on their practice squad to begin the year. He was promoted to the active roster on September 21st and earned his one and only start of his career. Phillips totaled 31 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery.
After being waived among final cuts in August of 2022, Phillips landed in Baltimore where he spent the next two seasons with the Ravens. He played in 23 games over that span, totaling 29 tackles, a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. During the 2023 season, Phillips earned his second career start, as well.
Year six saw Phillips with another new team, this time hitting the field with the Houston Texans. He played mainly special teams once more, recording 16 tackles and a tackle for loss.
During the 2025 offseason, the Chargers signed Phillips in an attempt to improve their kick coverage and overall special teams performance. He returned the favor by becoming one of the best special-teamers in the NFL, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors after recording a career-high 37 tackles. He also earned a third career start on defense, also recording another tackle for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery.
Phillips plays tough from down-to-down and you can still see that chip on his shoulder that he came into the league with as a undrafted player. In his limited snaps on defense in 2025, he looked like he belonged and that’s a great sign for him and the defense to know they can go all the way to the bottom of the depth chart and have guys who won’t be a complete liability.
In the pre-draft process, Phillips ran a 4.61 40 and jumped 37 inches in the vertical. Those numbers help back up his ‘tweener ability and kick coverage skills.
Phillips is entering his seventh NFL season and has yet to really crack the two-deeps wherever he’s been.
He’s also a bit undersized for the position and he hasn’t been able to beat the odds a leaner linebacker looking for snaps in the middle of the defense.
Phillips measured in at 6’0 1/2 and 225 pounds during his pre-draft process back in 2019. He’s likely a bit bigger now, but that’s a rough measurement for an inside backer.
Phillips found a way to make a massive impact for the Chargers on special teams and he saw his efforts rewarded by being named to an All-Pro team. Without being a true starter on defense, he’s played his way into one of the most important players on the entire team. Phillips will once again reprise his role on special teams while continuing to be a valuable depth piece in the linebacker room.
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
