The San Francisco 49ers announced today that they are releasing linebacker Reuben Foster. Foster was arrested at the team hotel last night in Tampa on one count of first-degree misdemeanor domestic-violence battery.
“…Unfortunately in life, there’s consequences for your actions and when you show bad judgment, particularly after something’s been communicated very clearly, what the expectations are, there are consequences,” general manager John Lynch told reporters, per Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. “I think one lesson I’ve learned being around this league for 30 years now in different capacities, is that nobody is bigger than the team. That’s ultimately what this decision came down to for us.”
Foster was charged with felony domestic violence against his girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, earlier this year, but charges were dropped after Ennis recanted her testimony. Ennis is the alleged victim in last night’s dispute.
“…[W]e had communicated with Reuben, we had invested a lot of energy and resources into him. We did so even more so after. We stuck by him for a reason. And I think that was, fortunately he was able to come back to us. And unfortunately, yesterday, what transpired, one of our tenants is ‘protect the team.’ He didn’t protect the team. And like I said, nobody’s bigger than the team. As talented as a player as he was, as many positive steps as he was making, we felt like this was the best decision to make.”
Foster was released earlier today from the Orient Road Jail in Tampa after posting a $2,000 bond.
*All quotes from Chris Biderman‘s transcript of John Lynch.