Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips has been suspended by the team for three weeks without pay following the resolution of a lawsuit from December.
The Minnesota State Patrol said Phillips was pulled over for speeding and showed signs of impairment. His blood alcohol level tested at 0.10%, above the state's legal limit of 0.08%.
Phillips, 44, was arrested on Dec. 8 on suspicion of driving under the influence and booked into the Hennepin County Jail. He was released the next morning after posting a $300 bond. He joined the Vikings on a team flight to Las Vegas later that day, but was not disciplined by the team during the regular season, according to ESPN.
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he was “very disappointed” in response to Phillips' arrest. “Wes is one of the closest coaches I've ever been around. I care a lot about him. We're going to support him as an organization, and Wes knows that. I know he made a mistake.”
The suspension begins Tuesday and runs through April 22, three days before the 2024 NFL Draft. Phillips, the son of former NFL head coach Wade Phillips and grandson of former NFL head coach Bam Phillips, was involved in much of the Vikings' pre-draft preparation and the beginning of the team's offseason strength and conditioning program. He will miss the following week.
“Aside from my own standards, there were certain standards from the NFL and the Minnesota Vikings, and I didn't meet those standards,” Phillips said in a press conference in December. “The last thing I want to do is take attention away from the great things they do on the field. That was disappointing. I will take responsibility, learn from my mistakes and accept whatever discipline is thrown at me. I believe in “the path and growing from it.” ”
Mr Phillips pleaded guilty in court in February to a lesser charge of careless driving. His plea agreement includes one year of probation, a $378 fine, and eight hours of community service.
