‘Phoenix has always been Phoenix’: Dickson provides spark for Holy Cross football

In the fourth quarter of Holy Cross’ season opener against Merrimack on Sept. 2, a penalty on the Warriors led to senior fullback Phoenix Dickson’s helmet being ripped off — revealing a mullet, goatee, and one fired-up Crusader. 

The second that the flag was thrown, a high-energy Dickson galloped across the field and waved his arms, beckoning for approval from the Fitton Field faithful, before throwing his fist through the air and retrieving his helmet — sending a jolt through an already-enthralled stadium. And it provided a spark for the Crusaders, who went on to score a touchdown just three plays later. 

That’s just who Phoenix Dickson is: an intense, passionate, team-first guy. Dickson has become a staple of the Crusader offense, playing a dynamic role that has elevated the Holy Cross offense with his toughness and versatility. 

And he certainly looks the part. On move-in day prior to fall camp — and throughout the camp — Dickson proudly sported a cowboy hat, sleeveless flannel and cutoff jeans, in addition to his now-signature mullet. 

“When I made the transition to playing fullback, I wanted to look the part,” Dickson said. “I just wanted to kind of put it in your face, in a way. And I’ve always wanted a mullet.

“I'm liking it now,” he added with a smile. “I might rock with it for a little bit.”

You could use a number of descriptors for Dickson — blue-collar, tough, no-frills — but simply put, he’s a football guy through and through.  

“When someone brings up football — I feel like that’s just Phoenix Dickson,” he said. 

When Mike and Britt Dickson were deciding on names for their children, they opted for unique names — they didn’t want their kids to be like everybody else. When they called their kid’s name at the playground, they didn’t want 30 other kids to turn around. 

So when the middle child between older brother Cade and younger sister Paris, was born, Phoenix was named after the vibrant, immortal, winged mythological creature.  

“Just picture what a Phoenix is,” Mike said. “Everything about it — rising from the ashes — that’s what I liked about it.” 

On the field and off the field, the fire and passion is evident. And he’s never been concerned about fitting in. 

“He’s never followed the crowd,” Mike said. “He’s always done what he thought was right.” 

“From the time the kids were little, we have always told the kids that everybody is made unique for a reason,” Britt said. “If everybody were the same, life would be really boring — so embrace all the qualities that you have that make you unique.”

Growing up in a small community in Linden, Michigan, Phoenix loved football from the start. His father coached him during youth football, and from the very beginning, you could tell he was all in. He always knew every position — and excelled no matter where he went.

“I could literally put him anywhere,” Mike said, “and he’d do the best job he could do. 

“He's a vacuum. He just absorbed everything that you were coaching.”

His older brother Cade also played football, which helped Phoenix build a strong foundation for his football career. 

“What honestly made me a better football player was probably my brother,” Phoenix said. “Growing up, he was always a lot bigger than me. I was always playing football with him and his friends as well. And he just pushed me to be the football player I am now.” 

Still inquisitive to this day, Phoenix always asked questions, and went above and beyond with sports his entire childhood. He never missed a 6 a.m. workout, he pored over film and self-critiqued, and his competitive drive permeated everything he did. (Even as a young child, he would race his younger sister from the front door to the car.)

“Even now, his dad and I will tell him you played a fantastic game, and he will be the first one to say, ‘I think I might have missed this, but I'll get it next week,’ Britt said. “He’s constantly learning to better his game.” 

“Second is not good enough for him,” Mike said.

A talented athlete across the board, Phoenix originally anticipated becoming a baseball player. He had the work ethic to succeed in football regardless, though once he hit a growth spurt in middle school, it became clear that football was the sport for him. 

In high school, he did a little of everything. He could play just about any position — linebacker, wildcat quarterback, receiver — and earned All-State honors during his time at Lapeer High School. Even with his high school success, he still points to a gritty moment in middle school as one of his proudest. During the eighth grade, in a matchup against neighboring Fenton, he scored a touchdown, but in the waning seconds of the game, his team fumbled, and he made a game-saving tackle — getting hurt in the process. 

It was an example of his selflessness, his grit, and his determination, and set the tone for his career to come. 

“From that moment on — I just knew,” he said.

Phoenix actually came to Holy Cross as a linebacker, though in a room with a ton of depth and talent, he couldn’t quite carve out a role for himself. As a freshman and sophomore, he saw limited playing time, primarily on special teams. So when he had the opportunity to move over to the offensive side of the ball as a junior as a tight end, he took the chance and ran with it. 

It’s safe to say that it’s worked out well. He scored his first career touchdown against Bryant in 2022, and scored earlier this season in a game at Bucknell. This year, he’s tallied 100 yards on five receptions. But his contributions have gone far beyond the stat sheet. 

“I like to do the gritty stuff that people do not like to do,” he said. “It has a toll on your body, but at the end of the day, it's for what the team needs to do. And me doing that stuff opens up our offense.”

His coaches don’t take his toughness and versatility for granted. When speaking to the media, head coach Bob Chesney routinely points out the positive impact of plays that Phoenix makes. As a whole, the coaching staff emphasizes his role in the Crusaders’ success. 

“He can do anything,” said Holy Cross tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Drew Canan. “He can go out there and he can be a legitimate pass threat. He can go out there and be a legitimate blocker. You can hand the ball off. You can do a lot of different things, and that's one of the big reasons why we're able to have so much success, because of his versatility. It brings such an added toughness to the whole offense. It's so fun to watch.”

“You never hear him complain about anything,” said Holy Cross offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy. “He goes and attacks everything a million miles an hour. And the position that he plays, and what we asked him to do, is a very physical piece of this offense. So his ability to compete, day in and day out, and attack everything a million miles an hour, is what makes him so special.” 

Phoenix Dickson has been dubbed “The Mayor” by those who know him well — he’s the guy that knows everyone, and that everybody loves. He never burns bridges, universally acts with kindness, and he lives life by the golden rule: treat others how you want to be treated.

His friendships at Holy Cross reach beyond the close-knit Crusader football team. He’s friendly with plenty of student-athletes from other teams, and with even more non-athletes at Holy Cross. As an active participant with Working For Worcester — a student-run nonprofit that organizes an annual “Build Day” within the Worcester community — Phoenix helps spread the word about events on his Instagram story. 

“He's always been a leader — he's never been a follower,” Britt said. “We could always count on Phoenix to do what was right, whether people were watching him or not.” 

Growing up, if he noticed fellow students were sitting alone in the lunchroom, he sat with them and had lunch with them — and others followed. As a student at Lapeer, Phoenix actively participated in the school’s LINKS program: a peer-to-peer support program in which students were trained to model appropriate behavior, understanding and inclusion of their peers, including students with special needs.

Through the program, he was connected with Emily Spidle. The two became close friends, and she joined him at his official signing day ceremony after he committed to Holy Cross. During his freshman year at Holy Cross, Phoenix flew back to Michigan to take Emily to her senior prom. 

“Phoenix is just an amazing kid with an amazing heart,” Britt said. “And yes, he happens to be a good athlete — but you either have a good heart or you don't, and he always has.”

Phoenix — a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan, an ode to his family’s Pennsylvania roots — points to Super Bowl XLIII as a defining moment in his childhood for his love of football. 

“I remember sitting in the basement with my dad watching the Super Bowl,” he said. “I remember James Harrison had a pick six, and Larry Fitzgerald caught a touchdown pass with minimal time left. And then Santonio Holmes ended up catching a touchdown from Big Ben to win the game.

“I just knew that's what I wanted to do. It feels like it's just in my blood, and who I am.” 

Phoenix anticipates that his future, once his playing career comes to a close, will still contain football, potentially as a coach. After all, he’s always been consistent in his passions, consistent in his goals, and consistent in his values — and invests time and care into what he loves. 

“Phoenix has always stayed true to himself,” Britt said. “Phoenix has always been Phoenix. He's never changed. He's never changed his heart — and he’s never changed who he is.”

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