San Diego

Three men pleaded guilty in Superior Court to an assault charge stemming from the Sept. 26 beating of San Diego Chargers defensive lineman Joe Phillips outside a restaurant in Mission Beach.

David James Hanna, 23; Scott Edward Stewart, 25, and Brett James Dost, 22, pleaded guilty Monday to assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury.

The three men, who are free on bail, will appear again in Superior Court on July 30, where they will be sentenced to one year in custody as part of a plea bargain. However, Dost may be ordered to serve additional time because he was convicted of the assault charge while on probation for a drug offense, Deputy Dist. Atty. Mark Pettine said.

Phillips, a six-year NFL veteran, was attacked after dining and drinking at a beach-area restaurant. According to testimony at a preliminary hearing for the defendants, the 6-foot-5, 300-pound nose tackle was struck with fists and steel-toed boots.