Niners LB Reuben Foster Arrested After Domestic Violence Charge, Will Be Released

The San Francisco 49ers are releasing linebacker Reuben Foster following his arrest on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence in a team hotel Saturday night.

Niners To Release LB Reuben Foster After Arrest

Foster was booked into jail two hours after the arrest at the team’s Grand Hyatt in Tampa. His bond was set at $2,000 during a bail hearing Sunday morning, along with orders to avoid contact with the accuser, Foster’s girlfriend Elissa Ennis. Tampa Police reported finding a scratch on Ennis, as she accused Foster of pushing her, knocking a phone out of her hand and slapping her across the face.

Foster was previously arrested of domestic violence against Ennis in February but saw the allegation recanted, as Ennis said that she made the story up to damage Foster’s career. New 49ers general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan stood by Foster following the previous charge, but assured this was Foster’s last chance. Lynch said that it was “extremely disappointing” to release Foster, who he moved up to pick in the 2017 draft.

Lynch made an address in response to the team’s release of Foster.

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“We have a set of standards in place that the players were involved with in developing,” Lynch said. “In this case, it was communicated exceptionally clear and to the point as to what we expected out of him, and unfortunately what transpired yesterday, this isn’t a comment on what happened there because that would be mere speculation on our part. It’s more of a comment on him not living up to what we had communicated and to the energy and the time that we’ve invested in him. That doesn’t mean we don’t love him — we all do, we care for him — but we feel like it’s in the best interest of our organization to move on at this point, and that’s a very tough decision.”

Although Lynch’s gamble on the previously red-flagged Foster didn’t work out, he says he doesn’t regret the move altogether. “I think we learn from it,” Lynch said. “You have to learn from every situation. Ultimately, these guys are human beings, and they’re young men, and they’re fallible. I think one thing we have to do, we have to learn from the process, and we have, and we will.”