CHARLOTTE — When Jaelan Phillips looked at the Panthers roster, he realized his preferred numbers were all taken.
And then, he saw some inspiration.
The new outside linebacker has chosen jersey No. 5 to make his Panthers debut this season.
He said this week he saw a fan-created graphic, and liked the looks of it, so he wanted to go single-digits when he got here.
"I was like, wait a second, the 5 is kind of hard," Phillips said.
Phillips has always been 5-adjacent in his career, wearing 50 with the Eagles, and 15 with the Dolphins, and throughout his career with the University of Miami and UCLA, and also when he played at Redlands East Valley High School.
(Here, Jimmy Horn Jr. wears 15, and Robert Hunt has 50 occupied.)
So the common denominator was an easy choice for his new look.
"I was 15 at the Dolphins, 50 at the Eagles, I was like I might as well, it's a new era, man," he said. "Let's do a new number, you know what I mean, a fresh start. So I'm excited."
Almost as excited as the Panthers are to get him on the field.
View photos as the Panthers welcome their newly signed free agents to Carolina. Players had the opportunity to tour Bank of America Stadium with loved ones after signing.
The Carolina Panthers sign Jaelen Phillips on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Jaelen Phillips on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Jaelen Phillips on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Jaelen Phillips on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Jaelen Phillips on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Jaelen Phillips on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Devin Lloyd on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Devin Lloyd on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Devin Lloyd on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Devin Lloyd on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Devin Lloyd on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Devin Lloyd on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Kenneth Pickett on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Kenneth Pickett on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Kenneth Pickett on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Kenneth Pickett on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Kenneth Pickett on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Luke Fortner on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Luke Fortner on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Luke Fortner on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Luke Fortner on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Luke Fortner on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Luke Fortner on Thursday, Mar. 12, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Stone Forsythe on Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Stone Forsythe on Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Stone Forsythe on Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Stone Forsythe on Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
The Carolina Panthers sign Stone Forsythe on Friday, Mar. 13, 2026 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC.
