Redskins trade past Tarleton All-American Phillips to Steelers

Dashaun Phillips, a Pittsburgh Steeler after being traded by the Washington Redskins, was a All-American defensive back with seven interceptions for Tarleton in 2011. || Courtesy TARLETON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

The Flash Today
Staff Report

(August 23, 2017) — Tarleton State supporters who cheer for the Dallas Cowboys won’t be forced to root against one of their own quite as often, it appears.

Dashaun Philips, who in 2011 was named a second-team All-American by Beyond College Sports Network, graced two Super Region IV All-Region rosters and was voted Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year by LSC head coaches, has been traded away by the Washington Redskins, going to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for center Lucas Crowley, in what appears to be a case of each team lightening excess depth in one area gaining needed depth in another. It means Phillips will no longer oppose the Cowboys twice a year in NFC East contests.

Phillips has participated in 11 NFL games, all over the past two sesaons with the Redskins after brief preseason stints with the Cowboys and New York Jets. He’s been involved in 14 total tackles, nine of them solo.

Phillips was paid the ultimate respect by quarterbacks throughout much of 2012 and 2013, meaning they just avoided him pretty much altogether. And wisely so after his breakout sophomore campaign featuring seven interceptions, 15 passes defensed, eight broken up and 50 tackles. He still made 32 tackles, breaking up eight passes, snaring an interception and forcing a fumble in 2012, earning an all-region honor and first-team All-LSC honors. He made 50 tackles again in 2013 while intercepting a pass, breaking up seven and forcing a fumble to once again pick up all-conference and all-region accolades.

Phillips is third on the Tarleton career interceptions list with 12. His seven picks in 2011 ties for the third most in a season at the school.

Phillips had a scary moment in a homecoming game when the Redskins visited the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, suffering a stinger in his neck. He was carted off while the crowd was silent and teams kneeled in prayer, but several minutes later television broadcasters shared a report that he had made movement and was expected to recover, and sure enough, he was back in his nickel cornerback role.

Phillips was sent from the Jets to the Redskins before the 2015 season, when injuries led to the Redskins calling him up from their practice squad. The Jets had signed him to their practice squad after he was released by the Cowboys, his initial NFL landing spot as a priority free agent after going undrafted in 2013.