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New York Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips reacting ahead of an NFL game against the Denver Broncos.
New York Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips is putting in some overtime.
Phillips spoke with ESPN New York’s Jake Asman at the United Way New York City Gridiron Gala. During their conversation, Phillips revealed that he has taken T’Vondre Sweat under his wing this offseason.
“I’ve tried to put him under my wing. We’ve been working out in all of our workouts together … It’s really fun pushing each other. If I do beat him at something, I make sure to [say], ‘You’re letting an old guy beat you?’ 🤣 👴 If he beats me at something, he makes sure to let me know,” Phillips said via “The Jake Asman Show.”
Exactly What the Doctor Ordered
Sweat, 24, will turn 25 before the start of the 2026 season. He still has two years left on his rookie contract through the 2027 season.
The Jets pulled off a rare player-for-player swap with the Tennessee Titans this offseason. Gang Green flipped pass rusher Jermaine Johnson, to the Titans in exchange for Sweat.
I spoke with several folks on and off the record from Tennessee about Sweat, and they had some eyebrow-raising things to share.
“He came into the league with some does he really love football concerns. I think those have continued some in Tennessee. They weren’t thrilled with how he performed in the locker room,” Titans analyst Drew Beatty told me on “Boy Green Daily.”
“There has also been some stuff, even going back to last year, before [Robert] Saleh was on board, that the Titans weren’t thrilled with Sweat behind the scenes. It’s not necessarily [the] play on the field because I think he has been a very effective player when he has been out there. I don’t think [the Titans] really cared for his approach in the building,” Tennessee Insider Mike Herndon told me on “Boy Green Daily.”
In other words, Sweat is an impressionable young man who needs some guidance. The talent is obvious, but he needs to maximize it. Phillips, 30, has been around the league for a long time. He can help keep Sweat on the right track not only in 2026 but perhaps beyond.
Phillips Received a Tremendous Honor
The veteran defensive lineman received the hometown hero award on Tuesday, May 12.
“Phillips has a passion for giving back to his community. He founded his foundation, Harrison’s Playmakers, with the mission to empower youth through mentorship, community engagement, and pay-it-forward initiatives. The foundation has made a positive difference in the lives of children facing challenges by providing a variety of annual camps and activities in the communities that Phillips has touched, including Omaha, Buffalo, Minnesota, New York, and New Jersey. Since joining the Jets, Phillips has made an instant impact on the local community, attending several of the team’s Girls Flag and NYC Unified Flag events by surprising youth athletes and providing instruction around the game of football,” the United Way of New York City posted on their website.
HeavyBrian Burns of the New York Giants and Harrison Phillips of the New York Jets posing for a photo opp (via ESPN New York’s Jake Asman).
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, “The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital.” Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
