CHARLOTTE — The Panthers have reportedly added a force on the edge. According to multiple reports, Carolina has agreed to terms with edge-rusher Jaelan Phillips. The veteran spent his first four and a half years with the Miami Dolphins before finishing his 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
From a winding career to an interesting life off the field, here are five fast facts about the Panthers' newest outside linebacker.
Has had a winding career
At only 26 years old (he'll be 27 by the time training camp begins), Phillips has already experienced a career that could be worthy of a movie. He was the nation's top high school recruit (more on that below) and spent his first two years in college at UCLA. But a string of injuries, ranging from an ankle injury to a concussion to getting hit by a car while riding a moped, all led to a tough stretch that Phillips said caused him to lose his joy for playing.
So, he medically retired from the game before his junior season. But his dad could tell he still wanted to play and encouraged him to return. He did so a year later at the University of Miami. He was forced to sit out the 2019 season due to NCAA transfer rules and played only one year with the Hurricanes, a COVID-shortened season in 2020.
It was enough for Phillips to make an impact. He was named a first-team All-American after finishing with 45 tackles, 8.0 sacks, and an interception, and was drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2021 draft.
The Dolphins exercised his fifth-year option, but as the Eagles looked to bolster their pass-rushing corps in defense of their Super Bowl run last season, they traded for the pass-rusher.
Ups and downs came because of injuries
As mentioned, Phillips has experienced a litany of injuries over the course of his career. There were the two ankle injuries and two concussions in college, in addition to the moped accident. Then he experienced back-to-back seasons with the Dolphins that were shortened due to injury: a non-contact Achilles injury in 2023 and a partial ACL tear in Week 4 of the 2024 season.
It was a reminder to Phillips, though, that he couldn't always control injuries, only his response to them.
"Life happens, and things are going to happen," Phillips told the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2025. "But at the end of the day, it's all about your perspective on it. How you deal with the adversity is really what separates the average from the great, and how you respond to that stuff.
"I think the biggest thing is being able to flip the perspective from feeling sorry for yourself or just fall into your adversity, or you could have the perspective of, This is going to make me stronger.' Really, anything in life that happens, good or bad, indifferent, you can take positives from it."
Was the nation's top recruit
Coming out of Redlands East Valley High School in Redlands, California, Jaelan Phillips was not only the top recruit in his state, or even at his position. He was the top recruit nationwide. Both ESPN and 247 had Phillips ranked as their composite No. 1 overall.
It was an interesting time for Phillips, who was trying to prove he could be good game in and game out, but was unable to, since teams were literally running away from him and to the opposite side of the field.
In turn, though, it created a linebacker who will willingly chase someone down from the opposite sideline.
"The better I got, the more dominant I was; people just started running away from me," Phillips reflected last season."So if I wanted to get tackles and stuff, I had to go chase the ball down on the other side. So I just started doing it, and it just became part of my game."
Studied music production
During the brief interlude when Phillips retired from football, he followed in his parents' footsteps and entered the music production industry. He began pursuing a degree in that field, and even after transferring to Miami, he continued his education at the school of music there.
To this day, he remains interested in production, working on his own music when football allows. His Jaelan Phillips Foundation also established the Jaelan Phillips Music Program at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Miami.
Flourished with the Eagles
After being traded to the Eagles, Phillips found a groove that helped his career and the Philly defense. In his opening game for the Eagles, the pass-rusher posted two quarterback hits, a fumble recovery, and a tackle for loss in a defensive 10-7 win.
He finished his eight games in Philadelphia with 28 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks (to combine with his 3.0 from Miami for 5.0 total on the season), as well as the fumble recovery and a career high four passes defensed.
Get to know him a little more with these 15 questions he answered in partnership with a local cookie company.
Check out some of our favorite photos of Panthers fans throughout the 2025 season.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
The Carolina Panthers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 at Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
