It looks like the San Francisco 49ers may have had valid reasons to be patient with linebacker Reuben Foster's situation. The story surrounding the incident on February 11, which resulted in the arrest of Foster, has taken a drastic turn.
Elissa Ennis, the former girlfriend who was part of the incident, released a statement through her attorney stating that Foster did not strike her.
News of the statement was first reported by Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
"(Foster) did not strike her, injure her or threaten her," read the statement. The statement explains that the injuries were the result of a physical fight with another woman. It further explains that Foster, who has been charged with multiple felonies following the incident, tried to end his relationship with Ennis following the fight.
"She was extremely upset and told him if he broke up with her she would 'trash his career,'" said the attorney via the statement. Ennis, who now says that the felony charges against Foster are based on lies, reportedly tried to return to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office to try to correct her story.
Ennis had originally told responding sheriff's deputies and Los Gatos police that Foster had dragged her by the hair, physically threw her out of the house, and punched her in the head eight to 10 times.
Ennis says she can prove Foster did not inflict the injuries she sustained. There is reportedly a video of the altercation between Ennis and the other woman.
"Ennis apologizes to everyone that may have been harmed in this case, especially Mr. Foster," said the attorney via the statement.
49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed on Monday that the team was surprised by the severity of the charges against Foster.
"We do feel like patience is the right approach right now," Lynch told reporters. "We're going to learn things through this legal process. But I do want to be abundantly clear that if these charges are proven true, if Reuben did indeed hit this young lady, he won't be a part of our organization going forward. That's the standard we want on our team. That's the standard we're going to operate under."
Foster, who's next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 30, is facing charges of domestic violence with an allegation that he inflicted great bodily injury, forcefully attempting to prevent a victim from reporting a crime, and possession of an assault weapon.
The 49ers announced on April 15 that Foster would not take part in the team's offseason program while the legal matter is pending.
"Reuben Foster will not participate in team activities as he is tending to his legal matters," said 49ers CEO Jed York, general manager John Lynch, and head coach Kyle Shanahan via a statement issued by the team. "As previously stated, his future with the team will be determined by the information revealed during the legal process."
The 49ers made Foster the 31st-overall pick out of Alabama in last year's draft. He started 10 games while registering 72 combined tackles with a pass defensed. Foster was named the Defensive Rookie of the Month for November during the 2017 season.
Statements courtesy of NBC Sports Bay Area.