Jaelan Phillips said this week that he was going to miss the remainder of the 2024 season with a knee injury. Now we know what his injury and recovery entail.
The Dolphins pass rusher suffered a partially torn ACL in Monday night's loss to the Titans, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning. Phillips' injury requires full ACL reconstruction surgery, and if all goes well, he had a chance to be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
This is Phillips' second season-ending lower-body injury in the space of 10 months. The Dolphins defender suffered a torn Achilles in Miami's Black Friday win over the Jets on Nov. 25, 2023. Removed from the PUP list on Aug. 12, Phillips, 25, made it back to the starting lineup for kickoff of the 2024 campaign, only to head back to injured reserve four weeks later.
In four games this season, the Miami edge rusher tallied six tackles, two QB hits, two passes defensed and one sack. For his career, Phillips has 23 sacks and 54 QB hits in 46 games (29 starts) with the Fins.
The 2021 first-round pick now enters the fifth and final year of his rookie deal with the Dolphins having to come off a second major surgery in under a year. It's less than ideal for Phillips, who was on pace for a double-digit sack season in 2023 before his Achilles tear but now must string together another recovery and comeback to warrant a second contract with the Dolphins.
Phillips is ready for the challenge.
"The mission is still the mission," Phillips wrote Thursday. "I have unfinished business to take care of and I will come out of this trial victorious. Thank you all for your continued support and love. FINS UP."