View source for Lawrence Phillips

{{Short description|American gridiron football player (1975–2016)}}
{{For|the American businessman|Lawrence S. Phillips}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Lawrence Phillips
| image       = File:Lawrence Phillips mugshot.jpg
| caption     = Mugshot of Phillips after his 2005 arrest
| number      = 21, 33, 11, 2, 1
| position    = [[Running back]]
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1975|5|12}}
| birth_place = [[Little Rock, Arkansas]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{death date and age|2016|1|13|1975|5|12}}
| death_place = [[Kern Valley State Prison]], [[Delano, California]], U.S.
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 0
| weight_lb   = 224
| high_school = [[Baldwin Park High School|Baldwin Park]] {{nowrap|([[Baldwin Park, California]])}}
| college     = [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska]] (1993–1995)
| draftyear   = 1996
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 6
| pastteams   =
* [[St. Louis Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1996|1997}})
* [[Miami Dolphins]] (1997)
* [[Barcelona Dragons (NFL Europe)|Barcelona Dragons]] ({{NFLE Year|1998}})
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1999}})
* [[Florida Bobcats]] ({{AFL Year|2001}})*
* [[Montreal Alouettes]] ({{CFL Year|2002}})
* [[Calgary Stampeders]] ({{CFL Year|2003}})
| highlights  =
* [[Grey Cup champion]] ([[90th Grey Cup|2002]])
* CFL All-Star ([[2002 CFL season#2002 Eastern All-Stars|2002]])
* 2× [[College football national championships in NCAA Division I FBS|National champion]] ([[1994 NCAA Division I-A football season|1994]], [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]])
* Second-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1994 College Football All-America Team|1994]])
* First-team All-[[Big Eight Conference|Big Eight]] ([[1994 All-Big Eight Conference football team|1994]])
| statlabel1  = Rushing yards
| statvalue1  = 1,453
| statlabel2  = Rushing average
| statvalue2  = 3.4
| statlabel3  = Rushing [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3  = 14
| statlabel4  = [[Reception (gridiron football)|Reception]]s
| statvalue4  = 34
| statlabel5  = Receiving yards
| statvalue5  = 219
| statlabel6  = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue6  = 1
| pfr         = PhilLa00
}}

'''Lawrence Lamond Phillips''' (May 12, 1975 – January 13, 2016) was an American professional [[gridiron football|football]] [[running back]] who played in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for three seasons. A highly touted collegiate prospect, Phillips' professional career was cut short by legal troubles that continued up until his death.

Phillips won the [[1995 Orange Bowl]] and the [[1996 Fiesta Bowl]] playing [[college football]] for the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers football|Nebraska Cornhuskers]], which led to him being selected sixth overall in the [[1996 NFL draft]] by the [[St. Louis Rams]]. However, his frequent legal problems and inconsistent performances resulted in the Rams releasing him near the end of the 1997 season. After playing only two games for the [[Miami Dolphins]], Phillips pursued a comeback with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in 1999, but was released due to questions over his work ethic. He last played professionally in the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL) for two seasons with the [[Montreal Alouettes]] and [[Calgary Stampeders]]. With the Alouettes in 2002, Phillips was named an All-Star and won the [[Grey Cup]] before further legal problems and work ethic concerns ended his career the next season.

Remaining in trouble with the law, Phillips was serving a 31-year sentence on assault convictions when he was charged in 2015 for murdering his cellmate. While awaiting trial, he was found dead in solitary confinement, which was ruled a suicide.

==Early life==
Phillips was born in [[Little Rock, Arkansas]], and later moved to California, where he grew up in foster homes. He attended [[West Covina High School]] in [[West Covina, California]] for his freshman and sophomore years. He was a varsity starter both on offense as a [[running back]] and defense as an [[outside linebacker]]. He then attended [[Baldwin Park High School]] in [[Baldwin Park, California]] for his junior and senior years, and his team won a CIF championship his junior season, which attracted the attention of colleges, including the [[University of Nebraska]].

==College career==
In [[1993 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1993]], his freshman year at [[University of Nebraska]], Phillips gradually worked his way up the player ranks. He came off the bench to rush for 137 yards and a touchdown in the [[Nebraska Cornhuskers|Cornhuskers]]' 14–13 win against Pac-10 champion [[1993 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]]. In the second half of the [[1994 Orange Bowl]], he sparked the Husker ground game, carrying 13 times for 64 of the 183 rushing yards against a formidable [[1993 Florida State Seminoles football team|Seminole]] defense. All but one of Phillips' carries came in the fourth quarter, during which he scored on a 12-yard touchdown run. This game established him as the primary running back in the Cornhuskers’ offense.

By his sophomore year, Phillips became the focal point of the offense because of injuries to quarterbacks [[Tommie Frazier]] and [[Brook Berringer]]. He tied a school record by rushing for 100 yards or more in 11 straight games in [[1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1994]] despite frequently playing against eight or nine-man defensive fronts. Against the #3 [[1994 Miami Hurricanes football team|Miami Hurricanes]], 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, he ran for 1,722 yards, still a Nebraska record for a sophomore. Phillips' performance in the Orange Bowl that year was key to Nebraska securing its undefeated season and the national championship in 1994.

Less than two weeks after Phillips helped Nebraska win the 1994 championship, he pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, vandalism, and disturbing the peace. The charges came from a March 1994 incident, in which Phillips was accused of grabbing a 21-year-old college student "around the neck". Phillips entered a pretrial diversion program earlier, but was charged on November 18, 1994, after failing to complete the requirements of the program.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 12, 1995 |title=Husker Pleads Not Guilty |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/13/sports/husker-pleads-not-guilty.html |access-date=January 13, 2016 |work=The New York Times|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

Shortly before the start of the next season, Phillips' eligibility was in question for receiving a $100 lunch from a sports agent during the 1994 season.<ref>{{cite news|title=But Is Phillips Still Eligible?|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 27, 1995|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/27/sports/college-football-95-but-is-phillips-still-eligible.html|access-date=January 14, 2016}}</ref> When Nebraska officials became aware of the violation, he allegedly reimbursed the agent. The NCAA ruled him eligible just in time for the season opener, but continued to investigate other unspecified issues involving Phillips.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nebraska's Phillips Can Play|work=The New York Times|date=August 30, 1995|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/30/sports/sports-people-college-football-nebraska-s-phillips-can-play.html|access-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

When the [[1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1995]] season finally arrived, Phillips became an early front-runner for the [[Heisman Trophy]]. In Nebraska's second game of the season, against [[1995 Michigan State Spartans football team|Michigan State]]—playing its first game under new coach [[Nick Saban]]—Phillips had 206 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. After only two games, he was averaging more than 11 yards per carry and had scored six touchdowns.

Hours after the team returned from [[East Lansing, Michigan|East Lansing]] on September 10, 1995, Phillips broke into backup quarterback [[Scott Frost]]'s apartment by climbing the outside of the building to the third floor and entering through some sliding doors. He then assaulted his ex-girlfriend, basketball player Kate McEwen. Phillips dragged McEwen out of the apartment by the hair and down three flights of stairs before smashing her head into a mailbox. Phillips was subsequently arrested, and eventually suspended by head coach [[Tom Osborne]]. The case became a source of controversy and media attention, with the perception that Osborne was coddling a star player by not kicking Phillips off the team permanently. Osborne walked out on a press conference when asked, "If one of your players had roughed up a member of your family and had dragged her down a flight of steps, would you have reinstated that player to the team?"<ref>Touchy Touchy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 1, 1995, pg 15</ref> Outraged Nebraska faculty proposed that any student convicted of a violent crime should be prohibited from representing the university on the football field.<ref>An End-Around Attack, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 30, 1995, pg 24</ref> Osborne defended the decision, saying that abandoning Phillips might do more harm than good, stating the best way to help Phillips was within the structured environment of the football program. Osborne stated, "I felt the only thing I could put in a place that would keep him on track was football, because that was probably the only consistent organizing factor in his life."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2016/01/13/lawrence-phillips-dead-prison-tom-osbourne-nebraska/78767044/|title=Tom Osborne remembers Lawrence Phillips: He wasn't evil|website=[[USA Today]] }}</ref> After a six-game suspension, Osborne reinstated Phillips for the [[1995 Iowa State Cyclones football team|Iowa State]] game,<ref>Huskers Phillips in Limbo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 3, 1995, pg 22</ref> although touted freshman [[Ahman Green]] continued to start. Phillips also played against [[1995 Kansas Jayhawks football team|Kansas]] and [[1995 Oklahoma Sooners football team|Oklahoma]].

Despite pressure from the national media, Osborne named Phillips the starter for the Fiesta Bowl, which pitted No. 1 Nebraska against No. 2 [[1995 Florida Gators football team|Florida]] for the national championship. In the game, Phillips rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and scored a touchdown on a 16-yard reception in the Cornhuskers' 62–24 victory. The performance boosted Phillips' draft stock. With Osborne's encouragement, he decided to turn pro a year early.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/01/04/osborne-advises-phillips-to-enter-draft/|title=Osborne Advises Phillips To Enter Draft|website=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=January 4, 1996 }}</ref>

{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|+ Phillips' stats with the Nebraska Cornhuskers 
|-
!|
! colspan="5" style="background:#e7e3e7;"| Rushing
! colspan="5" style="background:#e7e3e7;"| Receiving
|-
!|YEAR
!|ATT
!|YDS
!|AVG
!|LNG
!|TD
!|NO.
!|YDS
!|AVG
!|LNG
!|TD
|-
|[[1993 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1993]]||105||572||5.4||46||5||2||6||3.0||5||0
|-
|[[1994 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1994]]||305||1,826||6.0||74||16||26||185||7.1||27||0
|-
|[[1995 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|1995]]||96||712||7.4||80||11||5||30||6.0||16||1
|-
!Totals!!506!!3,102!!6.1!!80!!33!!33!!221!!7.0!!27!!1
|}
<small>Notes - Statistics include bowl game performances.</small>

==Professional football career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 5
|    height in = 11 5/8
|       weight = 229
|     arm span = 31 3/8
|    hand span = 9
|         note = All values from NFL Combine<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?f=Lawrence&l=Phillips&i=23363 |title=Lawrence Phillips, Combine Results, RB - Nebraska |website=nflcombineresults.com |access-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===NFL draft===
At the [[1996 NFL draft]], teams had to decide if Phillips' talent was worth the risk, considering his character issues. Based solely on football talent, he was considered a top five, perhaps even number one pick.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1996/03/31/teams-facing-tough-call-on-rb-phillips-in-draft/|title=Teams facing tough call on RB Phillips in draft|date=March 31, 1996|access-date=December 17, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220203408/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1996-03-31/sports/1996091144_1_phillips-fiesta-bowl-control-my-anger|url-status=live}}</ref> He was widely expected to be selected by the [[Cleveland Browns relocation controversy|new]] [[Baltimore Ravens]] with the fourth pick to fill their vacant running back position.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/ravens-insider/bal-lawrence-phillips-death-conjures-up-memories-of-newsomes-big-decision-20160113-story.html|title=Lawrence Phillips' death conjures up memories of Newsome's big decision. - Baltimore Sun|date=January 13, 2016|work=baltimoresun.com|access-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref> However, Baltimore decided to select the best available player regardless of position, and with the fourth pick they selected offensive tackle (and future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]]) [[Jonathan Ogden]]. During the draft, ESPN analyst [[Joe Theismann]] stated in regard to Phillips: "Everybody's called him the best player in the draft."<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QESfiq4jpDY|title=YouTube|access-date=January 13, 2016}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

===St. Louis Rams===
Phillips was drafted in the first round with the sixth overall pick by the [[St. Louis Rams]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=1996 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/draft.htm |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The Rams thought so highly of Phillips that on the same day of the draft, they [[Jerome Bettis trade|traded]] his predecessor, future [[Pro Football Hall of Fame]] running back [[Jerome Bettis]], to the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/photoessays/0ap2000000336962|title=Top 15 trades in NFL history|work=NFL.com|access-date=January 28, 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>AP (7-30-1996). [https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/19960730/2341772/nfl----phillips-agrees-to-deal-with-rams "Phillips Agrees To Deal With Rams"]. ''Seattle Times''. Retrieved July 14, 2014.</ref> The chaos he created at Nebraska continued in St. Louis; in less than two years with the Rams, he spent 23 days in jail.<ref name=49ersSuspend>[http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/1999/11/13/pro_274171.shtml "49ers suspend Lawrence Phillips"]. [[Associated Press]] via ''[[Augusta Chronicle]]'', November 13, 1999.</ref>

In 1996, Phillips played in 15 games with 11 starts. He carried the ball 193 times for 632 yards and 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 abruptly released him. According to reports at the time, Rams team officials told the press that coach [[Dick Vermeil]] told Phillips that he was being demoted to second string due to his inconsistent performance and inability to stay out of trouble. Phillips stormed out of the Rams' facility and missed that day's meeting and practice. The Rams lost patience with him and decided to cut ties with him.<ref>Freeman, Mike. [https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/21/sports/pro-football-phillips-let-go-after-troubling-signs.html "Pro Football: Phillips Let Go After Troubling Signs"]. ''[[New York Times]]''. November 21, 1997.</ref> A teary-eyed Vermeil at the time said Phillips was potentially the best running back he ever coached.<ref>Anderson, Lars. [http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2453138-for-lawrence-phillips-a-dead-cellmate-and-another-day-of-reckoning "For Lawrence Phillips, a Dead Cellmate and Another Day of Reckoning"]. May 14, 2015.</ref> The Rams would not find any consistency at running back until signing [[Marshall Faulk]] in 1999. Meanwhile, Bettis would go on to a Hall of Fame career in Pittsburgh.

In the 2016 documentary ''Running For His Life: the Lawrence Phillips Story'', Vermeil revealed that Phillips collapsed on the field during pre-game warmup for his 10th (and final) game with the 1997 Rams. Trainers revealed that he had alcohol on his breath, and told Vermeil that Philips had smelled of alcohol on a number of previous occasions. He was known to stay in bars until 4 a.m. on the night before games. The following Monday, Vermeil called Phillips into his office and told him that he was cutting him. While Vermeil was known for having little tolerance for off-the-field misconduct, he knew Phillips was a talented player and gave him numerous chances to stay on the right path. He did say, though, that if given the chance to do it over again, he would have kept Phillips on the roster.<ref>{{cite AV media | people=Ross Greenburg (Executive Producer, Director), Al Briganti (Producer) | date=December 16, 2016 | title=Running For His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story | medium=Documentary | location=United States | publisher=[[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nesn.com/2016/12/running-for-his-life-the-lawrence-phillips-story-documentary-to-premiere-on-showtime-friday/ |title='Running For His Life: The Lawrence Phillips Story' Documentary to Premiere Friday on Showtime |last=Cox |first=Courtney |publisher=[[New England Sports Network]] |date=December 16, 2016 |access-date=December 17, 2016}}</ref> In that same film, Vermeil revealed that he reached out to a friend, [[Miami Dolphins]] head coach [[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]], to give Phillips a chance with the Dolphins.

===Miami Dolphins===
Phillips lasted two games in Miami, rushing for 44 yards on 18 carries for a 2.4 yard-per-carry average. The Dolphins released him after he pleaded [[nolo contendere|no contest]] to assaulting a woman at a [[Plantation, Florida]] nightclub.<ref name=49ersSuspend/>

===NFL Europe===
Phillips missed the 1998 season before attempting a comeback in 1999; he set [[NFL Europe]] offensive records with the [[Barcelona Dragons (NFL Europe)|Barcelona Dragons]] (1,021 yards and 14 touchdowns) and attracted interest from several NFL teams.

===San Francisco 49ers===
Phillips returned stateside with the [[San Francisco 49ers]] in the fall of 1999. The 49ers interviewed him several times before seemingly being assured that his past difficulties were behind him, though general manager [[Bill Walsh (American football coach)|Bill Walsh]] told him that the 49ers would cut him if he stepped out of line. He contended 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 spot by [[Charlie Garner]].<ref name=49ersSuspend/> He did, however, become the 49ers' primary kick returner.<ref name=PhillipsCap>Swan, Gary. [https://archive.today/20130202024439/http://articles.sfgate.com/1999-11-16/sports/17705180_1_salary-cap-lawrence-phillips-49ers "49ers Notebook: Phillips release a cap concern"]. ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]''. November 16, 1999.</ref>

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.<ref name=49ersSuspend/> Their concerns were validated during Week 3's ''[[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 knocked [[Steve Young]] unconscious on the play with a hard but clean hit. Young suffered what would be a career-ending [[concussion]]; he did not play again that season and the 49ers all but forced him 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. It was not enough to redeem himself; his missed block on Williams led the 49ers to question his work ethic.<ref name=NYT>[https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/16/sports/pro-football-notebook-49ers-suspend-phillips-and-plan-to-waive-him.html "49ers Suspend Phillips and Plan to Waive Him"]. ''New York Times''. November 16, 1999.</ref>

By November, the 49ers began to lose patience with Phillips. 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 on November 10 and 12 and openly mocked coaching directives. Mariucci called a staff meeting at which Phillips' position coach [[Tom Rathman]] threatened to stay in San Francisco if Phillips made the trip. That night, the 49ers suspended Phillips for three games for conduct detrimental to the team.<ref name=PhillipsCap/><ref name=NYT/><ref name=49ersRelease>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010712035307/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/news/1999/11/23/phillips_waived_ap/ "Bye-bye to the Bay Area"]. [[Associated Press]] via [[CNN]], November 23, 1999.</ref>

Walsh said soon thereafter 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.<ref name=49ersRelease/> Mariucci stated that the 49ers did not release Phillips right away only because his signing bonus would have counted against the team's [[salary cap]] for 1999, tying up nearly all their cap room.<ref name=PhillipsCap/> Finally, on November 23, 1999, the 49ers waived him.<ref name=49ersRelease/>

===AFL and CFL===
In 2001, Phillips signed with the [[Florida Bobcats]] of the [[Arena Football League]]. However, before playing a down for them, he was released after leaving the team without telling his coach.

Phillips then moved on to the [[Canadian Football League]] (CFL). He had some difficulty getting a Canadian [[Work permit|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 [[2002 Grey Cup|90th Grey Cup]].<ref name=CBC>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120807224618/http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/10/10/cfl-phillips-conviction.html "Lawrence Phillips convicted of assault"]. [[CBC News]], October 10, 2006.</ref> However, he showed signs of lapsing into his old habits off the field. He walked out on the team at least once during the season, and his agent severed ties with him twice.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/21/sports/cfl-roundup-phillips-s-agent-again-severs-ties.html Phillips' agent again severs ties]. ''New York Times''. August 21, 2002.</ref>

Phillips briefly held out of training camp before the [[2003 CFL season|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 was charged with sexual assault. Phillips signed with the [[Calgary Stampeders]] (rushing for 486 yards on 107 carries and 1 touchdown), but was again released, for arguing with head coach [[Jim Barker]].<ref name=CBC/>

==Career statistics==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! rowspan="2"| League
! rowspan="2"| GP
! colspan="5"| Rushing
! colspan="5"| Receiving
|-
! Att !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD !! Rec !! Yds !! Avg !! Lng !! TD
|-
! [[1996 NFL season|1996]] || [[1996 St. Louis Rams season|STL]] || [[NFL]]
| 15 || 193 || 632 || 3.3 || 38 || 4 || 8 || 28 || 3.5 || 11 || 1
|-
! rowspan="2"|[[1997 NFL season|1997]] || [[1997 St. Louis Rams season|STL]] || [[NFL]]
| 10 || 183 || 633 || 3.5 || 28 || 8 || 10 || 33 || 3.3 || 17 || 0
|-
! [[1997 Miami Dolphins season|MIA]] || [[NFL]]
| 2 || 18 || 44 || 2.4 || 8 || 0 || 1 || 6 || 6 || 6 || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL Europe season|1999]] || [[1999 Barcelona Dragons season|BAR]] || [[NFLE]]
| 10 || 194 || 1,021 || 5.3 || — || 14 || 25 || 247 || 9.9 || — || 0
|-
! [[1999 NFL season|1999]] || [[1999 San Francisco 49ers season|SF]] || [[NFL]]
| 8 || 30 || 144 || 4.8 || 68 || 2 || 15 || 152 || 10.1 || 47 || 0
|-
! [[2002 CFL season|2002]] || [[2002 Montreal Alouettes season|MON]] || [[CFL]]
| 15 || 187 || 1,022 || 5.5 || 51 || 13 || 33 || 292 || 8.8 || 30 || 0
|-
! [[2003 CFL season|2003]] || [[2003 Calgary Stampeders season|CGY]] || [[CFL]]
| 8 || 107 || 486 || 4.5 || 28 || 1 || 13 || 92 || 7.1 || 25 || 0
|-
! colspan="3"| Career !! 68 !! 912 !! 3,982 !! 4.4 !! 68 !! 42 !! 105 !! 850 !! 8.1 !! 47 !! 1
|}

==Legal issues and death==
On August 21, 2005, Phillips was arrested for assault after driving a car into three teenagers following a dispute during a [[pick-up game|pick-up football game]] in [[Los Angeles]]. At the time, Phillips was wanted by the San Diego Police Department in connection with two alleged domestic abuse incidents involving a former girlfriend,<ref name=ESPN/> who claimed that Phillips choked her to unconsciousness. In addition, the Los Angeles Police Department was seeking Phillips in connection with an allegation of domestic abuse occurring in Los Angeles. In March 2006, Phillips was ordered to stand trial on charges of felony assault with a deadly weapon stemming from the August 2005 incident. On October 10, 2006, he was found guilty on seven counts. On October 3, 2008, he was sentenced to 10 years in a California state prison;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/coroners-report-reveals-contents-of-lawrence-phillips-suicide-note/|title=Coroner's report reveals contents of Lawrence Phillips' suicide note|date=June 16, 2016 }}</ref> that sentence was subsequently reduced to seven years.

While serving that sentence, Phillips was convicted in August 2009 for the assault on his former girlfriend Amaliya Weisler<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.delmartimes.net/news/2009/dec/18/lawrence-phillips-sentenced-to-31-years/|title=Lawrence Phillips sentenced to 31 years|work=Del Mar Times|date=December 18, 2009|access-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref> on seven counts, including assault with great bodily injury, false imprisonment, making a criminal threat, and auto theft.<ref>Associated Press. October 3, 2008.</ref> On December 18, 2009, Phillips was sentenced to 25 years in prison on the 2009 convictions, to run consecutive to the 2008 sentence, for a total of 31 years.<ref name=ESPN/><ref>
[https://www.foxnews.com/story/ex-nfl-player-sentenced-to-31-years-in-prison-for-assault "Ex-NFL Player Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison for Assault"]. Associated Press. December 20, 2009. Retrieved from Fox News.</ref>

Phillips, [[California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation]] number G31982, was admitted to [[Kern Valley State Prison]] on October 16, 2008.<ref>California Department of Corrections. [http://inmatelocator.cdcr.ca.gov/ Inmate Locator]. Retrieved on January 29, 2011. "Phillips, Lawrence Lamond G31982 35 10/16/2008 Lancaster."</ref> Under California law, since his crimes harmed other persons, he was required to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole with good behavior, meaning that he would not have even been considered for release until he was 57 years old.

On April 12, 2015, Phillips' cellmate, Damion Soward,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/09/12/lawrence-phillips-cellmate-murder-charged/72104834/| title=Lawrence Phillips hinted at murder a month before cellmate found dead|publisher=USA Today Sports|date=April 13, 2015|access-date=September 12, 2015}}</ref> the cousin of former NFL wide receiver [[R. Jay Soward]], was found dead in the cell the two men shared. Soward, who was serving a sentence of 82 years to life for a murder conviction,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/nfl-running-back-suspected-killing-prison-cellmate-30295104|title=NEx-NFL Running Back Suspected of Killing Prison Cellmate |publisher=ABC News/Associated Press|date=April 13, 2015|access-date=April 13, 2015}}</ref> was choked to death. On September 1, Phillips was charged with first-degree murder in Soward's death.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kotowski| first=Jason|title=Former NFL player Lawrence Phillips charged with murder|work=[[The Bakersfield Californian]]| date=September 1, 2015|url=http://www.bakersfield.com/News/Breaking-News/2015/09/01/Former-NFL-player-Lawrence-Phillips-charged-with-murder.html|access-date =September 2, 2015}}</ref> On November 9, the prosecutor was granted a motion to reconsider whether to seek the death penalty.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/11/09/lawrence-phillips-could-face-death-penalty-cellmate-murder-case/75473050/|title=Lawrence Phillips could face death penalty in cellmate murder case|date=November 9, 2015|work=USA TODAY|access-date=January 13, 2016}}</ref>

Phillips was awaiting trial in [[solitary confinement]] when he was found [[coma|unresponsive]] in his cell by correctional officers around midnight on January 12, 2016. Phillips was pronounced dead at 1:30&nbsp;a.m. in a suspected suicide. A coroner determined that Phillips hanged himself. He had a [[do not resuscitate]] note taped to his chest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/lawrence-phillips-strangled-himself-in-cell-with-do-not-resuscitate/article_752a9a88-f345-5414-b9fc-43a986118f1c.html|title=Lawrence Phillips hanged himself, had 'Do Not Resuscitate' note|date=June 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805120731/https://www.omaha.com/news/nebraska/lawrence-phillips-strangled-himself-in-cell-with-do-not-resuscitate/article_752a9a88-f345-5414-b9fc-43a986118f1c.html|archive-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref> The day before, January 11, a judge ruled that there was enough evidence to bind Phillips over for trial in the murder of Soward.<ref>{{cite web|title = Lawrence Phillips found dead in prison at age 40|url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/01/13/lawrence-phillips-death-prison/78742058/|website = USA TODAY|access-date = January 13, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35307918 |title=Troubled ex-NFL star Lawrence Phillips dies in prison |work=[[BBC News]] |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=January 14, 2016}}</ref>

On January 15, it was announced that Phillips' family agreed to donate his brain to be examined for [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]] (CTE) at [[Boston University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2016/01/15/lawrence-phillips-brain-donated-cte-boston-university/78872916/|title=Lawrence Phillips' family agrees to donate brain for CTE study|website=[[USA Today]] }}</ref>

Phillips' funeral was held on January 23 at [[Christ's Church of the Valley]] in [[San Dimas, California]]. He was buried at [[Inglewood Park Cemetery]].

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=
<ref name="ESPN">{{cite news
  | title=Ex-running back Lawrence Phillips sentenced to 31 years for assault
  | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=4755659
  | agency=ESPN | date=December 18, 2009 | access-date=July 8, 2014
  | quote= 31 years in prison for attacking his girlfriend and driving his car into three teens}}
</ref>
}}

==External links==
* [https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=2140010 ESPN.com article (August 22, 2005) - Phillips arrested; also wanted for domestic violence]
* [http://www.omaha.com/huskers/blogs/the-mystery-of-lawrence-phillips/article_885befd8-e2b2-11e4-b184-3339536b5702.html "The Mystery of Lawrence Phillips"] ''[[Omaha World-Herald]]'' (November 6, 2005) Accessed September 19, 2015.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20001212030700/http://www.nfl.com/players/highlights/2682.html NFL profile (1999)]
* {{Find a Grave|157033189}}

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