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Purdue earned a reputation in the Joe Tiller era for being the “Den of Defensive Ends.” And Shaun Phillips helped forge that club while suiting up from 2000-03.
The 6-3, 255-pound Phillips was an instant hit upon hitting the field at Purdue, earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors each of this first three seasons. As a senior in 2003, he starred, making 14.5 sacks (second most in school history). Phillips garnered second-team All-American accolades and was a first-team All-Big Ten performer that season.
Phillips is still No. 2 in all-time sacks at Purdue with 33.5. And he is No. 3 in Purdue history in TFLs with 60.5. Phillips started 49 consecutive games in West Lafayette, where he also doubled as a sneaky-good part-time tight end.
The 38-year-old Phillips enjoyed an 11-year NFL career. He was selected in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL draft by the Chargers, playing nine seasons in San Diego. In that same draft, Purdue saw Nick Hardwick (Chargers) and Stuart Schweigert (Raiders) get selected in the third round. Phillips played for the Broncos in 2013, a team that reached Super Bowl 48, and spent his final season in 2014 with the Titans and Colts.
Phillips finished his NFL career with 81.5 sacks. His best season was 2010, when he made 11 sacks and earned a spot in the Pro Bowl.
Phillips has a son who is playing football at Sam Houston State. He also has twin 14-year old boys and a 3-year old son. GoldandBlack.com caught up with Phillips recently.
GoldandBlack.com: Where are you living?
Phillips: That is kind of complicated. I’m usually in LA. But I moved to Houston for a bit because I have a son who is going to Sam Houston State to play football. But we are moving to Arizona.
GoldandBlack.com: What are you doing?
Phillips: I have a real estate investment firm. I got my master’s at the University of Miami. At that time, I was figuring out what I wanted to get into, so I started to develop real estate. We started with single-family homes and grew to larger commercial real estate assets. Now, we mostly just acquire apartments. I do the day-to-day operations and deal-sourcing.
GoldandBlack.com: Looking back, how did you come to choose Purdue?
Phillips: I was from Willingboro, N.J., where I was a standout basketball player and ran track. My friends convinced me to try out for football. I never really played. I didn’t know what I was doing. Before my sophomore year, the starting tight end got hurt. And I got to start varsity. I got in and had a phenomenal game. That is when the light clicked on. Football is fun.
GoldandBlack.com: Then what?
Phillips: I kept playing and was recruited by a ton of schools. Purdue had interest. I watched them in the Alamo Bowl. I saw Drew Brees throwing the ball, they had a great tight end in Tim Stratton. I wanted to go catch passes from Drew Brees. I came to go catch passes. But when I got there, they really wanted me to play defense. They already had Stratton. I was little bummed at first. Once I started to hit people, I liked it. It was better than being hit. We had lost Rosevelt Colvin, Chkle Okeafor, Chukie Nwokorie, so they needed some defensive ends. My coaches told me how much more money defensive ends make than tight ends in the NFL. It was a huge difference. So, I could make more money and hit people. I shifted my focus to defense and had a solid career at Purdue. It was a lot of luck and a bit of hard work that led me to Purdue. It was the best for me academically and athletically. I never thought I would have a long NFL career.
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GoldandBlack.com: What’s your best memory from Purdue?
Phillips: Just being with the guys day-to-day. Niko (Koutouvides), Stu (Schweigert), Kelly (Butler), Gilbert Gardner. We had about nine people drafted in my class, seven on defense. Playing with those guys, the grind with the guys. The games kind of run together. It’s the daily grind with my teammates that I liked. Personally, I caught a TD at Notre Dame. Had four sacks at Wisconsin. I remember my first sack, it was against Central Michigan. Those things stand out.
GoldandBlack.com: What was NFL draft day like for you?
Phillips: I was back in New Jersey when I got drafted. I went to the movies. My mom wanted to have people over, but I didn’t want to. I didn’t know when I would be picked. I was asleep when I got the call from the Chargers. I didn’t go the first day and I was bummed. I was the second pick in the fourth round, the 98th pick. I saw a phone number I didn’t recognize. I didn’t know much about San Diego. I was a Philadelphia fan. But I was excited.
GoldandBlack.com: Did you think you’d have a lengthy NFL career?
Phillips: I didn’t know I could be a good pro probably until my third year. I had some productivity my first year. Then I started to figure it out. My second year, it started to come together. Then, my third year, I knew I belonged and started to train hard, doing extra work. It really is practice. Do that, and the results will come. Commitment and sacrifice matter. It’s about being a professional. Go get the quarterback. That is how I looked at it. I tried to get a sack a game.
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