Chargers’ Phillips Attacked Outside Bar

Joe Phillips, San Diego Charger nose tackle, was hospitalized after being severely beaten by three men early Wednesday when he left a Mission Beach bar.

Phillips suffered a fractured nose, fractures to the eye orbit, a concussion and multiple bruises and abrasions, a team spokesman announced after team physician Lee Rice’s examination. Rice said Phillips will undergo surgery to repair damage to his nose and eye orbit within the week.

Earlier in the day, police had reported that Phillips had skull fractures, three broken ribs, a broken nose and a broken bone around his eye, but Rice’s examination found no skull fracture or broken ribs.

Police said Phillips, 27, was being treated in the intensive care unit of Sharp Memorial Hospital, but a hospital spokeswoman would not describe his condition or even confirm that Phillips was there.

Police said the attack occurred at 1 a.m. while Phillips was walking to his car after leaving Saska’s, a bar and restaurant on Mission Boulevard.

The three men, one wearing steel-toed boots, beat and kicked Phillips repeatedly before fleeing, Robinson said. Phillips, 6 feet 5 and 275 pounds, is one of the strongest Charger players. No arrests have been made, but police have interviewed three witnesses to the incident, Robinson said.

Witnesses told a Times reporter that Phillips was accompanied by a woman who also was attacked. Robinson would not confirm this, and her identity and condition were not available.

A motive has not been determined, but Phillips was not robbed, Robinson said.

The Chargers placed Phillips on the reserve non-football injury list, meaning he will be out for four games.