Clark Phillips was thrust into a tough situation. He’d spent all summer expecting to play for the Atlanta Falcons—something he has done his entire NFL career. Then, right after the end of the preseason, the cornerback was informed that he had been traded to the Chicago Bears in exchange for Gervon Dexter. Just like that, Phillips was off to an unfamiliar city and had to learn an entirely new defensive scheme two weeks before the start of the regular season. That isn’t easy to swallow, especially for a player who wasn’t guaranteed snaps.
It wasn’t difficult to determine why the Bears traded for him. The team is still dealing with health issues at cornerback. Kyler Gordon hasn’t returned for months from a reported calf issue. Tyrique Stevenson has been battling through multiple issues. The depth didn’t look too good in the preseason. Head coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen felt they could use someone with experience to ease the problem.
Phillips knew he couldn’t afford to waste time. If he wanted to play, he’d have to make an impression. It appears he found a way, according to Devan Kaney of FOX Sports.
Clark Phillips is the exact type of player this team wants.
Johnson has said more than a few times that he wants guys who live and breathe football. He wants them tough, violent, and aggressive. If you look back at Phillips’ track record, not just in Atlanta but in Utah as well, you’ll see he exuded those traits. He’d earned a reputation as intense and physical going into the draft a few years ago. Not only would he attack passing lanes, hunting for takeaways, but he had no qualms about delivering hits or throwing his body around to make tackles.
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Lance Zierlein called him a “football cinephile.” In other words, Clark Phillips is obsessed with the game. The fact that he was willing to pick a fight in his first practice with the team after arriving tells you everything. He isn’t heard to make nice. He is here to play ball and win games. In many ways, he is the cornerback version of C.J. Gardner-Johnson. While not as successful to date in his career, Phillips shares many traits. It is little wonder that Allen liked the idea of acquiring him.
The Bears certainly have a type and have stuck to it.
For years, it felt like the team didn’t really know what kind of roster it wanted to build. Sure, they wanted talented players who were great athletes. Yet it has to be about more than that. Lots of guys have natural physical ability. Many of them amount to nothing in the NFL. What separates the good ones from them is hunger. They are so determined to succeed that they sacrifice mind, body, and spirit to make it happen. Extra hours after practice. Extra hours in the film room. Playing through pain. Follow the back story of most greats and that is the stuff you hear.
Phillips may not have the same talent as others in the league. To him, that doesn’t matter. He is willing to work harder and play harder than anybody. If he has to pick fights to get noticed, he’ll do it. Why? Because he cares. He might finally be a team that understands that. If he keeps that same energy moving forward, it may not be as long as we think before the young man is on the field.
