Redskins' Reuben Foster Fined Two Game Checks, Not Suspended by NFL for Domestic Violence Arrest
The NFL announced that Redskins linebacker Reuben Foster will be fined two game checks but will face no suspension after an investigation into his arrest in Tampa, Fla., in November of 2018 on domestic violence charges.
The 49ers released Foster after the incident and he was placed on the Commissioner Exempt list and claimed by Washington pending the league's investigation. On Friday, the league reinstated Foster, taking him off the list.
"Following a thorough investigation, the evidence did not support a finding that Foster violated the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy in connection with the Tampa incident in November 2018," the league said in a statement. "The NFL has returned Foster to the active roster from the Commissioner Exempt list."
The NFL continued: "Foster has acknowledged that he is responsible for his actions, and he has committed to a comprehensive accountability plan developed by the league, the NFLPA, and the Washington Redskins to help him grow personally and avoid future misconduct. Foster was advised that any future incidents will likely result in more substantial discipline."
Foster released a statement shortly after the league announced its decision.
"I am grateful to the Washington Redskins and the NFL for giving me this second chance," Foster said. "I appreciate the support I have received from the league, my team, and my union to help me succeed. I want to thank Commissioner Goodell for the time he has spent with me and for his understanding of me as a person. I accept the NFL's decision and want to say that I am truly sorry for my past actions and the people who may have been hurt by them."
November's arrest was not Foster's first since the 49ers drafted him with the No. 31 pick in 2017.
The linebacker, who is entering his third year in the NFL, was arrested twice in a one-month span last offseason. He was charged with marijuana possession in January and felony "charges related to domestic violence" in February. The latter charges were dropped when Foster's accuser later recanted her story. Foster was suspended for the first two games of 2018 due to the arrests.
A former girlfriend of Foster's, Elissa Ennis, ripped the Redskins' decision to pick him up on waivers, calling it a "slap in the face." The first domestic violence charges were dropped after the after Ennis recanted.
The Alabama product tallied 29 tackles in six games last season. He appeared in 10 games during his rookie campaign in 2017, ranking second on the 49ers in tackles and third in tackles for loss.
