Early life

Phillips played high school football, basketball, and baseball at Bath County High School in Hot Springs, Virginia earning many awards in the district and regional and was an All-State defensive end and tight end. He also was an All-State baseball player.

At the University of Virginia, he blossomed as a senior, becoming team captain and first-team All-ACC. He also registered a 48-reception season, second-best by a tight end in school history. He finished his college career with 69 receptions for 670 yards and five touchdowns.

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Phillips was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys 208th overall in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft and surprised observers by making the team. In 2009, he had 7 catches for 62 yards, while mostly being used as a blocking tight end.

In the 2010 preseason, he was impressing the coaching staff with his skills as a receiver and his ability to take different assignments, including the H-Back role. His performance was starting to push Martellus Bennett for the backup tight end job, but he was lost for the year in the preseason opener, when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear. It has been speculated that he was never the same player following this injury. The next year, he returned in a backup role and posted career-highs with 15 receptions for 101 yards.

After Bennett left in free agency, Phillips had a solid season as the backup tight end for the Cowboys in 2012. He had 8 receptions for 55 yards, one touchdown and started 9 games, serving mainly as an H-Back or blocking tight end. At the end of the year, the Cowboys didn't make an offer to re-sign him.

San Diego Chargers

Phillips signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers on March 12, 2013. He was used as a blocking specialist until being placed on the injured reserve list, after suffering ACL and MCL tears in his right knee during sixteenth game against the Oakland Raiders. He came back to play in all of the 16 games of the 2014 season.

In 2015, he was released on September 5, only to be re-signed 5 days later, after Ladarius Green suffered his second concussion of the year and Antonio Gates was still serving his suspension. He was the starter in the third and fourth game of the season, making a critical touchdown reception against the Cleveland Browns. After Gates returned in the fifth game, Phillips was used mainly for blocking purposes. He started the last two games of the season, with the team employing two-tight end sets.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]