Browns LB Jacob Phillips suffers season-ending pectoral injury for second straight year

CLEVELAND (AP) — For the second straight year, Cleveland Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips has suffered a season-ending pectoral injury.

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Phillips tore the chest muscle during Friday night's preseason loss to the Washington Commanders. Phillips, a third-round pick in 2020 from LSU, sustained a similar injury during the 2022 regular season against Baltimore.

Stefanski said the latest injury is on the opposite side from last season.

“It’s the worst part of this game, seeing guys get injured and especially you see how hard they work,” Stefanski said. “So it hurts. I hurt for Jacob, and this is why we’re teammates and why we support each other.”

The 24-year-old Phillips went to the locker room in the third quarter Friday night. He will undergo surgery.

Phillips has shown promise when he's been healthy. However, he's been limited to just 20 games over the past three seasons due to injuries.

He was listed as a backup on Cleveland's latest depth chart behind Anthony Walker Jr. and Sione Takiki, who are both coming back from season-ending injuries in 2022.

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