Ryan Phillips

Last updated

Ryan Phillips
2022, Coach Ryan Phillips.jpg
Phillips with the Lions in 2022
BC Lions
Position: Defensive coordinator
Defensive backs coach
Personal information
Born: (1982-11-15) November 15, 1982 (age 42)
Seattle, Washington
Height:5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Weight:195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school: Franklin
College: Eastern Washington
Career history
As a player:
As a coach:
  • BC Lions (2019–present)
    Defensive backs coach & Defensive coordinator
Career highlights and awards
BC Lions Records
  • Most interception return yards, career (816)
  • Most interception return yards (299), season (2007)
  • Most interceptions (12), season (2007)
  • Most defensive touchdowns, career (6)
  • Most interception return touchdowns, career (5)

Ryan Phillips (born November 15, 1982) is the defensive coordinator for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and a former professional Canadian football defensive back. He played most of his career with the BC Lions, where he has been part of two Grey Cup championship teams (94th Grey Cup and 99th Grey Cup) and was the last remaining active Lions player from the 2006 roster that won the 2006 Grey Cup. He holds numerous Lions franchise records and had been named a western all-star five times and a league all-star four times. [1] Phillips was known for his durability, having only missed four games in his 12-year career which includes a consecutive games-played streak of 181 games. He was also a member of the Montreal Alouettes in 2017. He is a 2006 graduate of Eastern Washington University which is also where he played college football for the Eastern Washington Eagles.

Contents

College career

Phillips played high school football at Franklin High in his home town of Seattle. Following graduation in 2000, Phillips played junior college football at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California. [2]

Phillips played college football as a defensive back, running back, and kick returner at Eastern Washington University. As a senior, Phillips was named to the first-team All-Big Sky Conference as a cornerback and kick returner. [2] Phillips had 5 interceptions, 16 kick returns for 330 yards (a 20.6 yard average) during his senior year for the Eagles, and in 2003, rushed for 85 yards on 11 carries (a 7.7 yard average), with 3 receptions for 17 yards.

Professional career

BC Lions

Following a free agent camp in Portland, Oregon, Phillips joined the BC Lions for the 2005 season. He started all 18 games during his rookie season where he recorded 56 tackles, good for third on the team, as well as three interceptions.

In 2006, Phillips moved from his defensive halfback position to the defense's nickel back for all 18 regular season games. Phillips recorded 23 defensive tackles, five special teams tackles, two interceptions (one for a 23-yard touchdown), two fumble recoveries and 3 pass knockdowns. Phillips added the Lions sole interception in the Western Division Championship game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and chipped in three tackles in the Lion's 2006 Grey Cup victory over the Montreal Alouettes.

In 2007, Phillips led the CFL with 12 interceptions, tying a team record held by former Lions defensive back, Larry Crawford, in the process. [3] He also set a franchise record for most interception return yards in a season with 299 yards. The previous record had been 188. He also recorded the most tackles in his career with 65 made that year. At the conclusion of the season, Phillips was named a CFL All-Star for the first time in his career.

2008 was a stark contrast to the previous year as Phillips recorded only one interception in 18 games. The following year, he bounced back with four interceptions while recording the first fumble-return touchdown of his career, in addition to his third career interception return touchdown. In 2010 he recorded his highest sack tally to date with four for the year, to accompany another five interceptions with 49 tackles. Subsequently, he earned his second CFL All-Star selection that year.

Phillips was part of the 2011 BC Lions team that began the year with five consecutive losses and finished to win the 99th Grey Cup in Vancouver, which had never been done before in CFL history. During the season, he recorded 46 defensive tackles with four interceptions and one interception return touchdown. He had two tackles in the Western Final that year and one in the Grey Cup game itself as he won his second Grey Cup championship.

For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Phillips earned All-Star selections in both years while fostering his reputation as an excellent coverage defensive back. He recorded four interceptions with 32 defensive tackles in 2012 and two interceptions with 36 defensive tackles in 2013. In 2014, he added another three interceptions to his tally while registering 36 defensive tackles.

For the 2015 season, Phillips led the league with six interceptions and made 26 defensive tackles in just 14 games. For the first time in his professional career, he did not play in a game, ending his consecutive games-played streak at 181 games. Despite playing in only 14 games, Phillips was named to the 2015 CFL Western All-Star team for the fifth time in his career. He scored his fifth career interception return touchdown in a game against the Montreal Alouettes on August 20, 2015, which tied for the franchise record for interception return touchdowns. He also set the franchise record for defensive touchdowns with six total, including his fumble return touchdown in 2008. He finished the season tied for the franchise record for most interception return yards with Larry Crawford who also had 790 yards.

In 2016, Phillips set the franchise record for most interception return yards in a career after his 26-yard return against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, on July 1, 2016, brought him to 816 yards total. He played in his 200th career game on August 4, 2016 against the Alouettes, which is the sixth-most games played in BC Lions' history. [4] Phillips was signed through the 2017 CFL season with the Lions after he signed a contract extension on January 24, 2016. [5] Nevertheless, at age 34, he was released by the Lions on February 10, 2017, just prior to the opening of the free agency period.

Montreal Alouettes

Shortly after his release from BC, Phillips signed with the Montreal Alouettes on February 15, 2017. [6] He dressed in two games for the Alouettes, recording eight tackles, but was released on July 16, 2017. [7]

Coaching career

Following his playing career Ryan Phillips joined the BC Lions as a defensive backs coach. He remained in this role for two seasons. On December 15, 2021, the Lions announced they had re-signed Phillips to a contract extension for the 2022 CFL season, and had promoted him to defensive coordinator. [8]

Personal life

In addition to being a professional football player, Phillips is a high school teacher in the Seattle school system during the off season. He has two sons, Ryan Jr. and Braylen, with his girlfriend, Fadhila.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BC Lions</span> Canadian Football League team

The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Lions compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and play their home games at BC Place.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ricky Ray</span> American football player (born 1979)

Ricky Ray is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback. Ray spent the majority of his professional career with the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He also briefly spent time in the af2, as well as with the San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). Ray is the all-time leader in passing yardage, pass completions, and passing touchdowns for both the Edmonton Elks and Toronto Argonauts. He won a Grey Cup championship four times as a starter, in 2003, 2005, 2012, and 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chip Cox</span> American gridiron football player (born 1983)

Chip Cox is an American former professional football linebacker who played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) for 13 seasons. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion, winning in 2009 and 2010, and winner of the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award in 2013. He is also a six-time CFL Divisional All-Star and three-time CFL All-Star. He holds three CFL records, including most career fumble return yards (392), most career fumble return touchdowns (6), and the record for longest fumble return. Cox also holds several Alouettes records including most career tackles (979), most single season defensive tackles, and most defensive tackles in a single game. He played college football for the Ohio Bobcats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Burris</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1975)

Henry Armand Burris Jr. is an American former professional football quarterback, and a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He is currently the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Florida A&M. Burris played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 1998 to 2016. He won three Grey Cup championships, two with the Calgary Stampeders, in 1998 and 2008, having spent 10 years of his career with them, and one with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2016. He was also a sports broadcaster and football analyst at TSN, appearing as a panel member on the network's CFL on TSN broadcasts.

The 2007 CFL season was the 54th season of modern-day Canadian football, the 50th season of the Canadian Football League, and many special events were held to commemorate the event. Regular-season play began on June 28 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario and concluded on November 3. The playoffs began on November 11 and ended with the championship game, the 95th Grey Cup, at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, on November 25, 2007, with the Saskatchewan Roughriders as champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">96th Grey Cup</span> 2008 Canadian Football championship game

The 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The East Division champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the West Division champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22–14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award. It was the first time Montreal had hosted the Grey Cup since 2001, the first time since the 2002 Grey Cup that the host city played for the Grey Cup, and the first time since the 58th Grey Cup in 1970 that the Alouettes and Stampeders had met for the national championship. Hoping to break the record for highest attendance for a Grey Cup game, the organizers expanded Olympic Stadium to almost 70,000 seats. A crowd of 66,308 attended the game, failing to break the record of 68,318 set in 1977, but good enough to be the second-highest attended Grey Cup game of all time. Montreal has now played host to the four highest-attended Grey Cup games in history. It was the last time a Western-based team has won the Grey Cup in Eastern Canada until the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won the 108th Grey Cup against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 BC Lions season</span> Canadian football team season

The 2007 BC Lions season was the 50th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 54th season overall. They finished first in the West Division for the fourth consecutive season with a 14–3–1 record, establishing new franchise records for wins and points in a season and most consecutive first-place finishes. They were defeated in the Western Final 26–17 by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, ending their hopes of repeating their Grey Cup Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barron Miles</span> American football player and coach (born 1972)

Barron Miles is an American former professional football player who played for 12 years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He has also served as the defensive coordinator for the Montreal Alouettes and Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL. Miles finished his career tied for second all-time in career interceptions with 66 and as the all-time leader in blocked kicks with 13. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 BC Lions season</span> Canadian football team season

The 2006 BC Lions season was the 49th season for the team in the Canadian Football League and their 53rd overall. The Lions finished in first place in the West Division for a third consecutive season with a 13–5 record and won the 94th Grey Cup over the Montreal Alouettes. Lions quarterback Dave Dickenson was named the game's Most Valuable Player after completing 18 of 29 passes for 184 yards and rushing for 53 yards on six carries. Placekicker Paul McCallum tied a Grey Cup record by kicking six field goals en route to being named the Grey Cup's Most Valuable Canadian. The Lions won their fifth Grey Cup championship in franchise history and first since 2000 when they also defeated the Alouettes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Bowman (Canadian football)</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1982)

John Bowman is an American former professional football defensive end who played 14 seasons for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is currently the defensive line coach for the BC Lions of the CFL. He is a two-time Grey Cup champion after winning in 2009 and 2010 and was named a CFL All-Star twice and a Divisional All-Star nine times. Bowman is the Alouettes' all-time leader in sacks with 134 in his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cassius Vaughn</span> American gridiron football player (born 1987)

Cassius M. Vaughn is a former Canadian football defensive back. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Ole Miss. Vaughn has also played for the Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He made his CFL debut in 2016 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henoc Muamba</span> Congolese-Canadian gridiron football player (born 1989)

Henoc Muamba is a Congolese-Canadian former professional football linebacker who played in both the Canadian Football League (CFL) and National Football League (NFL). He was a two-time CFL All-Star, three-time CFL Divisional All-Star, and was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian in 2017. In 2022, he won the Grey Cup with the Toronto Argonauts and was named the game's most valuable player (MVP) and Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian, becoming the second player in history to earn both awards. He was also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Indianapolis Colts, Montreal Alouettes, Dallas Cowboys, and Saskatchewan Roughriders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders season</span> CFL team season

The 2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders season was the 56th season for the team in the Canadian Football League. The Roughriders improved upon their 8–10 record from 2012 and made the playoffs for the second straight season, while hosting their first playoff game since 2010. After defeating the BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders in the playoffs, the Roughriders qualified for their fourth Grey Cup appearance in seven years and first ever at their home stadium. The team defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23 in the 101st Grey Cup en route to winning the franchise's fourth championship. With the added seats at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field, the Roughriders led the league in attendance for the first time, with an average of 37,503 fans attending each regular season game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boseko Lokombo</span> American football player (born 1990)

Boseko Lokombo is a Congolese-Canadian professional Canadian football linebacker for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Oregon. Lokombo has also been a member of the Montreal Alouettes and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, and the Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Lemon</span> American gridiron football player (born 1988)

Shawn Lemon is an American professional football defensive lineman for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Akron. He has been a member of eight CFL teams, three indoor football teams and two NFL teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dane Evans</span> American gridiron football player (born 1993)

Stephen Dane Evans is an American former professional football quarterback who played for six seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and BC Lions. He played college football at Tulsa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Stanback</span> American gridiron football player (born 1994)

William Stanback is an American professional football running back with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Virginia Union and UCF. He has also been a member of the Green Bay Packers and Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL), and the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeshrun Antwi</span> Canadian gridiron football player (born 1996)

Jeshrun Antwi-Boasiako is an Israeli-Canadian professional football running back for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Najee Murray</span> American gridiron football player (born 1994)

Najee Murray is an American professional football defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nafees Lyon</span> American gridiron football player (born 1996)

Nafees Lyon is an American professional football defensive back for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

References

  1. ↑ BC Lions records
  2. 1 2 "2004 Honors Won". Eastern Washington University Football Archives (EWU.edu). 2004. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2007.
  3. ↑ "2007 Statistics: Interceptions". CFL.ca. July 22, 2007. Retrieved July 22, 2007.
  4. ↑ Lions wrap up three-game road swing in Montreal
  5. ↑ Phillips in orange through 2017
  6. ↑ The Alouettes sign four-time CFL All-Star Ryan Phillips
  7. ↑ Alouettes' transactions - July 16
  8. ↑ TSN ca Staff (December 15, 2021). "Lions name Phillips defensive coordinator - TSN.ca". TSN. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.