Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips said he lives by a simple mantra: "I love the saying anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing."

Phillips joined the Jets in a trade from Minnesota weeks before the start of the 2025 NFL season. His oversized presence in the middle of the defensive line and his steady professionalism stood out during a difficult season. A big as his contributions are, it's his work off the field with a foundation he started -- Harrison's Playmakers -- that helped draw attention and led to Phillips being honored on Tuesday at the 33rd annual United Way Gridiron Gala in Manhattan where he was awarded the Hometown Hero award (along with Giants edge Brian Burns).

The NFL and the United Way have worked in tandem for more than 50 years to aid the lives of young people around the US. Since the start of the Gridiron Gala it has raised more than $36 million to help support its critical community impact initiatives and programs for families across the city. This year's gala raised more than $2.6 million.

"Moderation is for cowards, and so I'm thankful that we have that same approach," Phillips said about the two organizations in accepting the award. "The NFL thing does wear off a little bit over time. So the cool part of this is being up because of the United Way."

Phillips, 30, began his NFL career with one of the Jets' archrivals in the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills. After 4 seasons, 45 games, 107 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 8 TFL and 13 QB hits, he signed in free agency with Minnesota. He spent 3 seasons in the Land of 10,000 Lakes before bringing his run-stopping ability on the field and leadership in the locker room to the Green & White.

"His mentality, the character — and I'm talking about on and off the field. He's a damn good run stopper," Jets HC Aaron Glenn said about Phillips last season. "But everything about him fits who we are, so I'm happy that we got him."

In 17 games in the heart of the Jets' defense last season, Phillips collected 60 total tackles and added a career-high 5 TFL working alongside Jowon Briggs. As the Jets continue to strengthen their roster, the team has added young players like T'Vondre Sweat (in a trade with Tennessee) and drafted Darrell Jackson Jr. out of Florida State in addition to signing David Onyemata in free agency.

"The United Way of New York City is important for us, improving the lives and children in our communities," Phillips said at the gala. "And I haven't even been here a full year yet, but I feel like this is part of my community.

"It was a baptism by fire. I was traded here right before the season started, having been four years in another organization where it kind of felt like home. My wife had just had our first child. He was 3 months old. We had our home. I was a team captain on another team, and overnight, hey, you got to move, leave life and family and go to this new place. And it made the transition so much easier –how special the community here was. My teammates, included in this whole New Jersey, New York, New York City area."

Phillips, a native of Omaha, NE, was a three-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2020, 2021, and 2023. His approach to philanthropy began when he was in sixth grade and entered the lunchroom at school to discover all the seats among his fellow football players were taken. He then took a seat with some children who had been bullied because they were in special education classes.

"The principal came over, and the assistant principal came over, they thought I was going do a joke or do something rude," he told a Minnesota website. "But I was just sitting down wanting to meet some new people and make some new friends, and some of those guys are still good friends of mine to this day."

He added: "I always stood up to bullying when we were younger in elementary school and middle school and tried to find the lost sheep, so to speak."

Since coming to the Jets, Phillips has immersed himself in the local community as he followed and supported the Jets' deep commitment to girls' flag football, attending events and offering advice.

"It was cool to see people who have a heart to give," he said on Tuesday night. "And I didn't know that. I thought I was coming to Gotham City, and so I had no idea, you know, how much love and support was here and when I got here, because at the time, it's kind of like a hey, a wife thing."

He added: "Why this one means a lot to me is because you guys understand that you give back and invest in other communities, and you help empower other organizations and other people, and you understand that change happens when you equip these other people and equip these other organizations to serve where they need it most. And that mindset has stuck with me, and funny enough, been a huge part of my organization. Harrison's Playmakers, which you saw a little bit about, works with individuals with Down syndrome and autism and the hard of hearing and visually impaired.

"We work. We say our heart is unbiased. We will work with anyone. And what we try to instill in this overlooked population that maybe some of you guys don't have a touch point with, but there could be a negative, incorrect perception that these individuals can't do things. I think the best way that we flip that perception is to say they're so independent that they're actually going to go out and serve in the communities. And so we'll partner, just like United Way does, with other nonprofits that need a helping hand."