Lawrence Phillips
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Lamond Phillips (born May 12, 1975) is a former professional American football
and Canadian football
running back
. Phillips's trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust.
, but by his teen years had made his way to Southern California
, spending most of them in a foster home. He attended West Covina High School
in West Covina, California
for his freshman and sophomore years. He was a varsity starter both on offense, running back
and defense, outside linebacker as a sophomore. He attended Baldwin Park High School
in Baldwin Park, California
for his junior and senior years, winning back-to-back CIF Championships. His sterling numbers attracted the attention of the University of Nebraska.
In 1993, his freshman year at Nebraska, Phillips gradually worked his way up the depth chart. He came off the bench to rush for 137 yards and a touchdown in the Huskers' 14-13 win at Pac-10 champion UCLA. In the second half of the 1994 Orange Bowl
against Florida State
, Phillips again came off the bench and sparked the Huskers' ground game, carrying 13 times for 64 of the Huskers
183 rushing yards against a formidable Seminole
defense. All but one of Phillips's carries came in the fourth quarter, and he also scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. The game established him as the primary running back in the Nebraska
offense.
By his sophomore year, Phillips became the focal point of the offense because of injuries to quarterbacks Tommie Frazier
and Brook Berringer
. Phillips tied a school record by rushing for 100 yards or more in 11 straight games in 1994 despite frequently playing against eight- or nine-man defensive fronts and fighting a thumb injury. Phillips's performance in the Orange Bowl was key to Nebraska's securing its undefeated season and national championship in 1994. Against the Miami Hurricanes, who had the top-rated defense in college football that year (with future NFL Pro Bowlers Warren Sapp
and Ray Lewis), Phillips had 96 yards on 19 carries, including a 25-yard run that was the longest rushing play the Hurricanes had allowed all season. During the regular season, Phillips ran for 1,722 yards, still a Nebraska record for a sophomore.
The following year, Phillips became an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy
. During the Huskers' win over Michigan State
in their second game of the season, Phillips had 206 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on 22 carries. After two games on the season, he was averaging more than 11 yards per carry and had scored six touchdowns. After the team had returned from East Lansing, Michigan
, Phillips was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women's team. Phillips was subsequently suspended from the Husker football team by Head Coach Tom Osborne. The case became a source of great controversy and media attention, with perceptions arising that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne defended the decision, saying that abandoning Phillips might do more harm than good. In Osborne's view, the best way to help Phillips was within the structured environment of the football program. Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State
game, although touted freshman Ahman Green
continued to start. Phillips also contributed against Kansas
and Oklahoma
.
Osborne, despite pressure from the national media, named Phillips the starter for the Fiesta Bowl
, which pitted No. 1 Nebraska against No. 2 Florida for the national championship. In the game, Phillips rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and also scored a touchdown on a 16-yard reception in the Cornhuskers' 62-24 victory. The performance boosted Phillips's draft stock. With Osborne's encouragement, he decided to turn pro a year early.
by the St. Louis Rams
despite his considerable character issues; several teams with higher picks let it be known that they passed on him due to his off-the-field troubles. He was widely expected to be selected by the new Baltimore Ravens
with the fourth pick to fill their vacant running back position. However, they decided to select the best available player regardless of position and selected future eleven time pro-bowler Jonathan Ogden
. During the draft, ESPN analyst Joe Theisman stated in regard to Phillips: "Everybody's called him the best player in the draft." The Rams thought so highly of Phillips that on the same day of the draft, they traded his predecessor, Jerome Bettis
, to the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
On July 29, 1996, Phillips signed a three-year $5.625 million contract. He received no signing bonus but his salaries were $1.5 million in 1996, $1.875 million in 1997 and $2.25 million in 1998. Also, he had a chance to receive some guaranteed money in the future if he met certain conditions. The off-field troubles that plagued him at Nebraska resurfaced in St. Louis; in less than two years with the Rams, he spent 23 days in jail.
In 1996 Phillips played 15 games with 11 starts. He carried the ball 193 times for 632 yards for 4 touchdowns. In 1997, Phillips surpassed his entire 1996 total in only 10 games and nine starts, rushing for 634 yards. However, on November 20, the Rams lost patience with him and released him. According to Rams team officials, coach Dick Vermeil
had told Phillips that he was being demoted to second string due to his inconsistent performance (even though he was on pace for a 1,000-yard season) and inability to stay out of trouble. Phillips stormed out of the Rams' facility, and missed that day's meeting and practice. A teary-eyed Vermeil at the time called Phillips potentially the best running back he had ever coached.
The decision to unload Bettis to make room for Phillips would haunt the Rams for several years; while Bettis went on to become one of the cornerstones of the Steelers franchise for the next decade, the Rams would not have a true feature back until Marshall Faulk
's arrival in 1999
.
for two games, running for only 44 yards on 18 carries for a 2.4 yard-per-carry average. The Dolphins released him after he pleaded no contest
to assaulting a woman in a Plantation, Florida
nightclub.
offensive records with the Barcelona Dragons
(1,021 yards and 14 TDs) and attracted interest from several NFL teams.
in the Fall of 1999. The 49ers interviewed him several times before seemingly being assured he'd put his past difficulties behind him, though general manager Bill Walsh
told him that the 49ers wouldn't hesitate to cut him if he stepped out of line. He was in contention for the starting job before pulling a hamstring in training camp. Additionally, his blocking left much to be desired. He was beaten out for the starting slot by Charlie Garner
. He did, however, become the 49ers' primary kick returner.
Although Phillips stayed out of trouble off the field, his on-field performance was of greater concern to the 49ers. His blocking skills were so suspect that he was almost never in the game on passing downs. Their concerns were validated during a Monday Night Football
game against the Arizona Cardinals
, when cornerback
Aeneas Williams
rushed in on a blitz and Phillips failed to pick it up. Williams ended up knocking Steve Young unconscious on the play with a hard, but clean, hit. Young suffered a severe concussion that effectively ended his career; he didn't play again for the rest of the season and was all but forced to retire. In the same game, Phillips ran for a 68-yard touchdown to put the game away 24-10, outrunning Williams to the end zone. Nonetheless, his missed block on Williams led the 49ers to question his work ethic.
By November, Phillips was showing signs of slipping back into his old ways. According to coach Steve Mariucci
, Phillips began losing interest early in the season, to the point that he was finding "reasons and ways why he shouldn't practice." The situation came to a head in the run-up to the 49ers' game against the New Orleans Saints
. Phillips refused to practice at all on November 10 and November 12, and openly mocked coaching directives. Mariucci called a meeting with his staff, at which Phillips' position coach, Tom Rathman
(ironically, a fellow Cornhusker), told Mariucci that he was at his wit's end with Phillips. Rathman even threatened to stay in San Francisco if Phillips made the trip. That night, the 49ers handed Phillips a three-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
By this time, Walsh and Mariucci had finally had enough. Walsh said soon after Phillips was suspended that he could not envision Phillips playing another down for the 49ers. On November 16, Mariucci announced that the 49ers would cut ties with Phillips at the first opportunity. In making the announcement, Mariucci said that the only reason the 49ers didn't release Phillips right away was that his entire signing bonus would have counted against the team's salary cap
for 1999, thus tying up nearly all of their cap room. Finally, on November 23, the 49ers waived him.
of the Arena Football League
. He never played a down for them, however; he was released after leaving the team without telling his coach.
Phillips then moved on to the Canadian Football League
. He had some difficulty getting a Canadian work visa due to his criminal record, but was eventually cleared to join the Montreal Alouettes
. He showed signs of his old form, notching 1,022 yards, 13 touchdowns and a spot on the CFL Eastern All-Star Team while helping lead them to the 90th Grey Cup. However, he was not exactly a model citizen; he walked out on the team at least once during the season and his agent severed ties with him twice. He briefly held out of training camp before the 2003 season
due to a salary dispute. On May 1, shortly after his return, the Alouettes released him for not meeting the team's "minimum behavioural standards." It later emerged that he'd been charged with sexual assault. Phillips signed with the Calgary Stampeders
(rushing for 486 yards on 107 carries and 1 TD), but was again released for arguing with head coach Jim Barker
.
. At the time of the arrest, Phillips was wanted by the San Diego, California
, police in connection with two alleged domestic abuse incidents involving a former girlfriend, who claimed that Phillips choked her to the point of unconsciousness during one of the incidents. In addition, the Los Angeles Police Department
was seeking Phillips in connection with yet another, separate domestic abuse allegation that had occurred previously in Los Angeles.
In March, 2006, the Associated Press
reported that Phillips had been ordered to stand trial on felony
assault with a deadly weapon charges stemming from the August 21, 2005, incident. The assigned judge dismissed two counts of child abuse and one count of leaving the scene of an accident, but continued the trial on the more serious charges.
On October 10, 2006, Phillips was found guilty of seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon. On October 3, 2008, Phillips was sentenced to 10 years in a California state prison. While serving that sentence, Philips was convicted in August 2009 for the assault on his then-girlfriend on seven counts, including assault with great bodily injury; false imprisonment; making a criminal threat; and auto theft. For the latter conviction, Phillips faced 25 years in prison when he was sentenced in November 2009.
On December 18, 2009, Phillips was sentenced to more than 31 years in prison for attacking his girlfriend and driving his car into three teens. On September 15, 2011, Phillips was stabbed in prison after a dispute with Mexican Mafia Kingpin Antonio Madrid. Phillips survived the attack and was placed in protective custody.
Phillips, California Department of Corrections# G31982, was admitted to the CDCR on October 16, 2008. As of 2011 he is located in California State Prison, Los Angeles County
. Under California law, since his crimes harmed other persons he must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for time off with good behavior. He will not be eligible for release until he serves 26 years--when he will be 57 years old.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
. Phillips's trouble with the law and inability to produce in the NFL have led many critics to label him as a bust.
Early life and career
Phillips was born in Little Rock, ArkansasLittle Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, but by his teen years had made his way to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, spending most of them in a foster home. He attended West Covina High School
West Covina High School
West Covina High School is a four year comprehensive secondary school located in West Covina, California.-History:West Covina High School first opened its campus in 1956 on the old Covina High School campus on Citrus Ave. and Puente Ave. as the Spartans. In 1957, the school moved to its new...
in West Covina, California
West Covina, California
West Covina is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. Located some east of Downtown Los Angeles in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, it is a mostly middle class suburb of Los Angeles...
for his freshman and sophomore years. He was a varsity starter both on offense, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and defense, outside linebacker as a sophomore. He attended Baldwin Park High School
Baldwin Park High School
Baldwin Park High School is located in Baldwin Park, California. It is part of the Baldwin Park Unified School District. It is one of three high schools in the city, Sierra Vista High School and North Park Continuation School being the other two...
in Baldwin Park, California
Baldwin Park, California
Baldwin Park is a city located in the central San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 75,390, down from 75,837 at the 2000 census.- History :...
for his junior and senior years, winning back-to-back CIF Championships. His sterling numbers attracted the attention of the University of Nebraska.
In 1993, his freshman year at Nebraska, Phillips gradually worked his way up the depth chart. He came off the bench to rush for 137 yards and a touchdown in the Huskers' 14-13 win at Pac-10 champion UCLA. In the second half of the 1994 Orange Bowl
1994 Orange Bowl
The 1994 Orange Bowl a 1993–1994 college football bowl game was played on January 1, 1994, for the national championship. This 60th edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and the Florida State Seminoles. Florida State came into the game 11-1, and ranked first in the nation....
against Florida State
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, Phillips again came off the bench and sparked the Huskers' ground game, carrying 13 times for 64 of the Huskers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
183 rushing yards against a formidable Seminole
Florida State Seminoles
The Florida State Seminoles are the men's and women's sports teams of Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State participates in the NCAA's Division I . FSU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1991, and competes in the Atlantic Division in any sports split into a...
defense. All but one of Phillips's carries came in the fourth quarter, and he also scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. The game established him as the primary running back in the Nebraska
Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Nebraska Cornhuskers is the name given to several sports teams of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The university is a member of the Big Ten Conference...
offense.
By his sophomore year, Phillips became the focal point of the offense because of injuries to quarterbacks Tommie Frazier
Tommie Frazier
Tommie James Frazier, Jr. is a former American football player and coach in the United States. He played quarterback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers....
and Brook Berringer
Brook Berringer
Brook Warren Berringer was an American quarterback for the University of Nebraska football team in the mid-1990s. Berringer came to Nebraska from Goodland, Kansas, and played a back-up role to Tommie Frazier...
. Phillips tied a school record by rushing for 100 yards or more in 11 straight games in 1994 despite frequently playing against eight- or nine-man defensive fronts and fighting a thumb injury. Phillips's performance in the Orange Bowl was key to Nebraska's securing its undefeated season and national championship in 1994. Against the Miami Hurricanes, who had the top-rated defense in college football that year (with future NFL Pro Bowlers Warren Sapp
Warren Sapp
Warren Carlos Sapp is a retired American football player who played defensive tackle in the National Football League. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Oakland Raiders during his 13 year professional career, and college football for the University of Miami Hurricanes. He was then...
and Ray Lewis), Phillips had 96 yards on 19 carries, including a 25-yard run that was the longest rushing play the Hurricanes had allowed all season. During the regular season, Phillips ran for 1,722 yards, still a Nebraska record for a sophomore.
The following year, Phillips became an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
. During the Huskers' win over Michigan State
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
in their second game of the season, Phillips had 206 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on 22 carries. After two games on the season, he was averaging more than 11 yards per carry and had scored six touchdowns. After the team had returned from East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
, Phillips was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a basketball player for the Nebraska women's team. Phillips was subsequently suspended from the Husker football team by Head Coach Tom Osborne. The case became a source of great controversy and media attention, with perceptions arising that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne defended the decision, saying that abandoning Phillips might do more harm than good. In Osborne's view, the best way to help Phillips was within the structured environment of the football program. Osborne reinstated Phillips for the Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
game, although touted freshman Ahman Green
Ahman Green
Ahman Rashad Green is a retired American football running back. He is the all-time leading rusher for the Green Bay Packers. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the 3rd round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
continued to start. Phillips also contributed against Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners football
The Oklahoma Sooners football program is a college football team that represents the University of Oklahoma . The team is currently a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
.
Osborne, despite pressure from the national media, named Phillips the starter for the Fiesta Bowl
Fiesta Bowl
The Fiesta Bowl, now sponsored by Frito-Lay and named with their Tostitos brand, is a United States college football bowl game played annually at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Between its origination in 1971 and 2006, the game was hosted in Tempe, Arizona at Sun Devil...
, which pitted No. 1 Nebraska against No. 2 Florida for the national championship. In the game, Phillips rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and also scored a touchdown on a 16-yard reception in the Cornhuskers' 62-24 victory. The performance boosted Phillips's draft stock. With Osborne's encouragement, he decided to turn pro a year early.
St. Louis Rams
With his strong performance, Phillips was drafted sixth overall in the 1996 NFL Draft1996 NFL Draft
The 1996 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 20–21, 1996...
by the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
despite his considerable character issues; several teams with higher picks let it be known that they passed on him due to his off-the-field troubles. He was widely expected to be selected by the new Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
with the fourth pick to fill their vacant running back position. However, they decided to select the best available player regardless of position and selected future eleven time pro-bowler Jonathan Ogden
Jonathan Ogden
Jonathan Phillip Ogden is a former American football offensive tackle who played for the Baltimore Ravens.-College:He received his education at St. Albans School, excelling not only in football but also in track and field...
. During the draft, ESPN analyst Joe Theisman stated in regard to Phillips: "Everybody's called him the best player in the draft." The Rams thought so highly of Phillips that on the same day of the draft, they traded his predecessor, Jerome Bettis
Jerome Bettis
Jerome Abram "The Bus" Bettis is a retired American football halfback who played for the NFL's Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. Bettis is considered one of the best big backs ever because his footwork and power, and is currently fifth on the National Football League's all-time...
, to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
On July 29, 1996, Phillips signed a three-year $5.625 million contract. He received no signing bonus but his salaries were $1.5 million in 1996, $1.875 million in 1997 and $2.25 million in 1998. Also, he had a chance to receive some guaranteed money in the future if he met certain conditions. The off-field troubles that plagued him at Nebraska resurfaced in St. Louis; in less than two years with the Rams, he spent 23 days in jail.
In 1996 Phillips played 15 games with 11 starts. He carried the ball 193 times for 632 yards for 4 touchdowns. In 1997, Phillips surpassed his entire 1996 total in only 10 games and nine starts, rushing for 634 yards. However, on November 20, the Rams lost patience with him and released him. According to Rams team officials, coach Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
had told Phillips that he was being demoted to second string due to his inconsistent performance (even though he was on pace for a 1,000-yard season) and inability to stay out of trouble. Phillips stormed out of the Rams' facility, and missed that day's meeting and practice. A teary-eyed Vermeil at the time called Phillips potentially the best running back he had ever coached.
The decision to unload Bettis to make room for Phillips would haunt the Rams for several years; while Bettis went on to become one of the cornerstones of the Steelers franchise for the next decade, the Rams would not have a true feature back until Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
's arrival in 1999
1999 NFL season
The 1999 NFL season was the 80th regular season of the National Football League. The Cleveland Browns returned to the field for the first time since the 1995 season...
.
Miami Dolphins
Phillips then moved on to the Miami DolphinsMiami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
for two games, running for only 44 yards on 18 carries for a 2.4 yard-per-carry average. The Dolphins released him after he pleaded no contest
Nolo contendere
is a legal term that comes from the Latin for "I do not wish to contend." It is also referred to as a plea of no contest.In criminal trials, and in some common law jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an alternative to a pleading of...
to assaulting a woman in a Plantation, Florida
Plantation, Florida
Plantation is the name of the following places in the U.S. state of Florida:*Plantation, Florida, a city in Broward County; the largest of the places named "Plantation" in Florida*Plantation, Sarasota County, Florida, a census-designated place...
nightclub.
NFL Europe
Phillips missed the 1998 season before attempting a comeback in 1999; he set NFL EuropeNFL Europe
NFL Europe was an American football league which operated in Europe from 1991 until 2007. Backed by the National Football League , the largest professional American football league in the United States, it was founded as the World League of American Football to serve as a type of spring league...
offensive records with the Barcelona Dragons
Barcelona Dragons
The Barcelona Dragons were a team originally in the World League of American Football and later in the resurrected NFL Europe. Their home field in Barcelona was the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuic, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and later the Mini Estadi. The Dragons were successful on the field, making it...
(1,021 yards and 14 TDs) and attracted interest from several NFL teams.
San Francisco 49ers
Phillips returned stateside with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in the Fall of 1999. The 49ers interviewed him several times before seemingly being assured he'd put his past difficulties behind him, though general manager Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh may refer to the following:*Bill Walsh , coached San Francisco 49ers*Bill Walsh , center from Notre Dame*Bill Walsh...
told him that the 49ers wouldn't hesitate to cut him if he stepped out of line. He was in contention for the starting job before pulling a hamstring in training camp. Additionally, his blocking left much to be desired. He was beaten out for the starting slot by Charlie Garner
Charlie Garner
Charlie Garner III is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 1994 NFL Draft...
. He did, however, become the 49ers' primary kick returner.
Although Phillips stayed out of trouble off the field, his on-field performance was of greater concern to the 49ers. His blocking skills were so suspect that he was almost never in the game on passing downs. Their concerns were validated during a Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
game against the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, when cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Williams
Aeneas Demetrius Williams is a former American football cornerback and free safety, who played with the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams. Williams attended Fortier High School, where he played football on a team with three future NFL players. Although he was admitted to Dartmouth College,...
rushed in on a blitz and Phillips failed to pick it up. Williams ended up knocking Steve Young unconscious on the play with a hard, but clean, hit. Young suffered a severe concussion that effectively ended his career; he didn't play again for the rest of the season and was all but forced to retire. In the same game, Phillips ran for a 68-yard touchdown to put the game away 24-10, outrunning Williams to the end zone. Nonetheless, his missed block on Williams led the 49ers to question his work ethic.
By November, Phillips was showing signs of slipping back into his old ways. According to coach Steve Mariucci
Steve Mariucci
Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and most recently for the Detroit Lions.-Early career:...
, Phillips began losing interest early in the season, to the point that he was finding "reasons and ways why he shouldn't practice." The situation came to a head in the run-up to the 49ers' game against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. Phillips refused to practice at all on November 10 and November 12, and openly mocked coaching directives. Mariucci called a meeting with his staff, at which Phillips' position coach, Tom Rathman
Tom Rathman
Thomas Dean Rathman is a former American football fullback who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Oakland Raiders . He is currently the running backs coach for the 49ers.-High school:...
(ironically, a fellow Cornhusker), told Mariucci that he was at his wit's end with Phillips. Rathman even threatened to stay in San Francisco if Phillips made the trip. That night, the 49ers handed Phillips a three-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team.
By this time, Walsh and Mariucci had finally had enough. Walsh said soon after Phillips was suspended that he could not envision Phillips playing another down for the 49ers. On November 16, Mariucci announced that the 49ers would cut ties with Phillips at the first opportunity. In making the announcement, Mariucci said that the only reason the 49ers didn't release Phillips right away was that his entire signing bonus would have counted against the team's salary cap
Salary cap
In professional sports, a salary cap is a cartel agreement between teams that places a limit on the amount of money that can be spent on player salaries. The limit exists as a per-player limit or a total limit for the team's roster, or both...
for 1999, thus tying up nearly all of their cap room. Finally, on November 23, the 49ers waived him.
AFL and CFL
In 2001, Phillips signed with the Florida BobcatsFlorida Bobcats
The Florida Bobcats are a defunct Arena Football League team. They had been previously known as the Sacramento Attack and the Miami Hooters.-Sacramento Attack :...
of the Arena Football League
Arena Football League
The Arena Football League is the highest level of professional indoor American football in the United States. It is currently the second longest running professional football league in the United States, after the National Football League. It was founded in 1987 by Jim Foster...
. He never played a down for them, however; he was released after leaving the team without telling his coach.
Phillips then moved on to the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He had some difficulty getting a Canadian work visa due to his criminal record, but was eventually cleared to join the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
. He showed signs of his old form, notching 1,022 yards, 13 touchdowns and a spot on the CFL Eastern All-Star Team while helping lead them to the 90th Grey Cup. However, he was not exactly a model citizen; he walked out on the team at least once during the season and his agent severed ties with him twice. He briefly held out of training camp before the 2003 season
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
due to a salary dispute. On May 1, shortly after his return, the Alouettes released him for not meeting the team's "minimum behavioural standards." It later emerged that he'd been charged with sexual assault. Phillips signed with the Calgary Stampeders
Calgary Stampeders
The Calgary Stampeders are a Canadian Football League team based in Calgary, Alberta and named in reference to the Calgary Stampede. The Stampeders play their home games at McMahon Stadium...
(rushing for 486 yards on 107 carries and 1 TD), but was again released for arguing with head coach Jim Barker
Jim Barker
Jim Barker is the head coach and general manager of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League....
.
After football
On August 21, 2005, Phillips was arrested for assault after allegedly driving a car into three teenagers, following a dispute with the teens during a pick-up football game in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. At the time of the arrest, Phillips was wanted by the San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, police in connection with two alleged domestic abuse incidents involving a former girlfriend, who claimed that Phillips choked her to the point of unconsciousness during one of the incidents. In addition, the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
was seeking Phillips in connection with yet another, separate domestic abuse allegation that had occurred previously in Los Angeles.
In March, 2006, the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
reported that Phillips had been ordered to stand trial on felony
Felony
A felony is a serious crime in the common law countries. The term originates from English common law where felonies were originally crimes which involved the confiscation of a convicted person's land and goods; other crimes were called misdemeanors...
assault with a deadly weapon charges stemming from the August 21, 2005, incident. The assigned judge dismissed two counts of child abuse and one count of leaving the scene of an accident, but continued the trial on the more serious charges.
On October 10, 2006, Phillips was found guilty of seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon. On October 3, 2008, Phillips was sentenced to 10 years in a California state prison. While serving that sentence, Philips was convicted in August 2009 for the assault on his then-girlfriend on seven counts, including assault with great bodily injury; false imprisonment; making a criminal threat; and auto theft. For the latter conviction, Phillips faced 25 years in prison when he was sentenced in November 2009.
On December 18, 2009, Phillips was sentenced to more than 31 years in prison for attacking his girlfriend and driving his car into three teens. On September 15, 2011, Phillips was stabbed in prison after a dispute with Mexican Mafia Kingpin Antonio Madrid. Phillips survived the attack and was placed in protective custody.
Phillips, California Department of Corrections# G31982, was admitted to the CDCR on October 16, 2008. As of 2011 he is located in California State Prison, Los Angeles County
California State Prison, Los Angeles County
California State Prison, Los Angeles County is a male-only state prison located in the city of Lancaster, in Los Angeles County, California. The first and only state prison located in the county, it is also referenced as Los Angeles County State Prison, CSP-Los Angeles County...
. Under California law, since his crimes harmed other persons he must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for time off with good behavior. He will not be eligible for release until he serves 26 years--when he will be 57 years old.
External links
- ESPN.com article (August 22, 2005) - Phillips arrested; also wanted for domestic violence
- "The Mystery of Lawrence Phillips" Omaha World-HeraldOmaha World-HeraldThe Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...
(6 November 2005) Accessed 3 October 2008. - KFFL (fantasy football league news) Retired Player Lawrence Phillips
- Foxnews.com article (December 18, 2009) - Ex-NFL Player Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison for Assault