The Buffalo Bills on Tuesday released starting cornerback Phillip Gaines, who leads the NFL with 131 penalty yards this season.
Gaines was called twice for defensive pass interference in Sunday's 41-9 loss to the Chicago Bears. In total, the Bills were flagged 10 times for 163 yards -- the most penalty yardage assessed against the team in franchise history.
The Bills' previous high for penalty yards in a game was 159 in a November 1970 loss to the Patriots.
Starting in his fourth consecutive game for Buffalo and sixth game this season, Gaines was penalized 47 yards for pass interference in the third quarter of Sunday's game and 43 yards in the fourth quarter.
Since 2001, Gaines' 90 total penalty yards in a game are second only to Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams, who had 106 yards in penalties during a 2009 game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Gaines was also penalized 41 yards for defensive pass interference in a Week 6 loss to the Houston Texans.
The Bills signed Gaines, a third-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2014, to a one-year deal in March. He won the Week 1 starting job over Vontae Davis, who later retired at halftime of a Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Buffalo is expected to start Ryan Lewis in Gaines' place.
The Bills on Tuesday also promoted undrafted rookie cornerback Levi Wallace from the practice squad.
