Still Serving Suspension, Phillips Released by 49ers

Lawrence Phillips’ stormy tenure with the San Francisco 49ers ended Tuesday when the team waived him. Phillips was still serving a three-game suspension for defying the coaching staff at the time of his release.

Meanwhile, Phillips’ agent said earlier Tuesday a grievance has been filed seeking to overturn the suspension.

“The suspension was clearly excessive,” said Mitch Frankel, Phillips’ agent. “They didn’t have the right to suspend and therefore they don’t have the right not to pay him.”

John McVay, the 49ers’ director of football operations, disagreed.

“We have decided to waive Lawrence Phillips because it allows us to clear the decks and move on,” McVay said. “We did not reach an agreement with Mitch Frankel, but we did listen to what he had to say.”

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The NFL cracked down on the throat-slash gesture, threatening fines and a 15-yard penalty for an increasingly popular taunt that the league said depicted “an unacceptable act of violence.”

A letter was sent to all 31 teams to ban the gesture, in which a player draws his finger across his throat after making a big play on an opponent.

“We know of no interpretation of this act by which it would not be considered threatening or insulting,” said George Young, the league’s vice president for football operations.

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After a night of being pelted with snowballs, some spiked with batteries, one Oakland Raider player faced misdemeanor charges and another had charges filed against a fan whom he confronted after the game.

The Raiders were angry about attacks they said occurred throughout their 27-21 overtime loss Monday night at Mile High Stadium in Denver and intensified as they left the field.

Moments after the game, Raider cornerback Charles Woodson allegedly hurled a snowball that struck a female fan in the face and offensive tackle Lincoln Kennedy went after a fan who had hit him in the face with a snowball.

An arrest warrant was expected to be issued for Woodson today charging him with misdemeanor assault and throwing objects. Denver Police detective Mary Thomas said Woodson probably could settle the matter by paying a fine, perhaps as little as $25.

The 335-pound Kennedy punched a fan after getting hit in the face by a snowball. Kennedy had charges filed against the fan, and police said Kennedy was not cited because he had the right to fight back after getting hit by the snowball.

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Dolphin quarterback Dan Marino said he has a “good chance” of playing Thursday against the Dallas Cowboys. . . . Rookie quarterback Akili Smith’s sprained right big toe could sideline him the rest of the year, Cincinnati General Manager Mike Brown said. Smith hurt the toe Oct. 31 when he was sacked during a 41-10 loss to Jacksonville. . . . San Diego backup quarterback Erik Kramer is out for the season because of a neck injury. . . . Lyle West, a little-used rookie safety for the New York Giants, was suspended for four games after testing positive for steroids. . . . Atlanta free safety Eugene Robinson said he plans to retire at the end of the season and begin a career as a minister or counselor. . . . Authorities filed felony charges against Julie Romanowski, wife of Denver Bronco linebacker Bill Romanowski, and three others at Castle Rock, Colo., accusing them of fraudulently obtaining a prescription drug. --Associated Press