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Phil Savage

Senior Football Advisor

Biography

PHIL SAVAGE is in his sixth season with the Jets as the team's senior football advisor. In his role, Savage evaluates college prospects and pro players, while providing valuable insight on the player personnel department's overall philosophy, grading system and annual approach to building the club's roster and practice squad.

Savage was part of a scouting staff who drafted both the Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year in 2022, marking just the third time in NFL history a team has had both in the same year.

Joining the team in June 2019, Savage brings over 25 years of NFL front office experience, including four seasons as senior vice president and general manager with the Cleveland Browns (2005-08). Prior to joining the Jets, he worked as the Reese's Senior Bowl executive director (2012-18) and served as the general manager of the Arizona Hotshots in the Alliance of American Football (2018-19).

Savage entered the League as a defensive assistant coach with the Browns (1991), before transitioning to scouting in 1994. He has held several positions with Cleveland (1991-95, 2005-08), Baltimore (1996-04) and Philadelphia (2010-12). During his nine seasons in Baltimore, the Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV and drafted ten Pro Bowl players, including Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. His tenure with the Browns was highlighted by a 10-win season in 2007 and the selection of perennial Pro Bowl and 2023 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Joe Thomas.

Prior to the NFL, Savage worked at the University of Alabama as a graduate assistant (1987) and tight ends coach (1988-89) before transitioning to a similar role at UCLA (1990).

From 2009-17, he was the radio color commentator for the Crimson Tide Sports Network, when the Alabama Football program won five National Championships (2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017). At the same time, he was also a front office insider for ESPN (2013-17) and provided analysis for SiriusXM on their NFL and college conference channels (2013-19). In 2017, St. Martin's Press published Savage's first book, 4th and Goal Every Day, Alabama's Relentless Pursuit of Perfection.

During his tenure with the Reese's Senior Bowl, he spearheaded the organization's efforts in securing the current title sponsor through The Hershey Company, while having a number of future All-Pro selections come through Mobile on their way to the NFL, including Josh Allen, Aaron Donald, Lane Johnson, Kyle Jusczcyk, Cooper Kupp, Zach Martin and Fred Warner among others.

Savage received a degree in English from the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. He played quarterback and was also a three-time all-conference shortstop in baseball. He went on to receive a master's degree in physical education from the University of Alabama in 1989.

Savage is a member of the Murphy High School (AL) Hall of Fame, the University of the South Athletics Hall of Fame and the City of Mobile Sports Hall of Fame. He and his wife, Dorothy, have a daughter, Honor Blue, and a son, Ever Brave.

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