Linebacker Reuben Foster had done an excellent job staying out of trouble since being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers last year. This year? Not so much. On Sunday, Foster was arrested for the second time in the past month.
The latest incident was due to two felony accounts. Foster was arrested at his home in Los Gatos and booked at the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of domestic violence, threats, and possession of an assault rifle.
At around 6:35 p.m. on Sunday night, Foster was released on $75,000 bail, according to a report by the Sacramento Bee.
The Mercury News reported that officers were dispatched to Foster's home after a report of domestic violence. The alleged female victim, who has been involved in a long-term relationship with Foster, told officers the assault took place following an argument between the couple.
Police received the call about the disturbance around 9:15 a.m. Foster was arrested without incident, according to a news release from the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department.
The assault rifle was found inside Foster's home during the police response.
After the incident, the 49ers released the following statement:
"The San Francisco 49ers organization is aware of the report regarding Reuben Foster. We take matters of this nature seriously and are gathering all pertinent information."
Under the NFL's domestic violence policy, players face a six-game suspension following the first incident and a lifetime ban from the league for a second infraction.
On January 12, Foster was arrested and charged with second-degree possession of marijuana in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is unknown if he will face discipline from the league for that arrest.
Aside from his health concerns entering the 2017 NFL Draft, teams had concerns about Foster's character as well. The former University of Alabama star failed a drug test and was dismissed from the NFL Scouting Combine following an altercation with a hospital worker.
49ers general manager John Lynch stressed the importance of a player's character while speaking with NFL Network's Alex Flanagan at the Senior Bowl.
"That's critical because you start defining the type of guys you want in your building," Lynch said. "As important as the talent is, that piece is just as important. You look at the successful organizations, and they've figured that out."
Regarding the failed drug test, Foster explained that he was sick the week before the Combine and that he drank an excessive amount of water, resulting in the diluted sample, which many NFL teams treat as a failed test.
Concerns surrounding Foster contributed to his fall in the draft. The 49ers selected the linebacker (No. 31 overall) as their second of two first-round picks. During his rookie campaign, Foster missed six games due to injury.
Foster finished the 2017 season with 72 combined tackles and a pass defensed through 10 game appearances. He was named the Defensive Rookie of the Month for November, named to the 2017 Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie Team, and finished the season with the highest Pro Football Focus grade (90.7) among 49ers players.
