The San Francisco 49ers announced via a brief press release early Sunday morning that the team is releasing second-year linebacker and former first-round draft pick Reuben Foster, who was arrested on Saturday night at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay in Florida on suspicion of domestic-violence battery.
The hotel is where the 49ers are staying leading to their road game against the Buccaneers on Sunday. The roster move comes just hours before kickoff.
The following is a statement released by the Tampa Police Department (via Greg Auman of The Athletic) regarding Saturday night's arrest of Foster:
"Tampa Police officers responded to the Grand Hyatt hotel to investigate a domestic violence call shortly after 9 p.m. on November 24. Reuben Foster and the female victim were involved in a verbal altercation. The victim stated that during the altercation Foster slapped her phone out of her hand, pushed her in the chest area, and slapped her with an open hand on the right side of her face. Officers observed a one inch scratch on the victim's left collar bone.
"During the investigation officers learned that Foster and the victim lived together in the past and they were involved in an on-again-off-again relationship over the past three years.
"Foster was charged with one count of first degree misdemeanor domestic violence and booked into the Hillsborough County Jail."
The latest arrest was Foster's third in 11 months. He was arrested for second-degree marijuana possession in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on January 12. That charge was later dismissed after he completed a diversion course in the state.
RELATED 49ers LB Reuben Foster arrested in Florida on domestic violence charge, per report
A month after that incident, on February 11, Foster was arrested again at his home and faced felony 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 judge later ruled that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the domestic violence case against Foster after the alleged victim, ex-girlfriend Elissa Ennis, testified that the charges against the linebacker were based on her lies. The judge dropped the first two charges against Foster and reduced the weapon charge to a misdemeanor.
Foster was later sentenced to two years of probation, 232 hours of community service, and $235 in fines for the remaining weapons charge.
Foster served a two-game suspension at the beginning of the regular season for violating the NFL's conduct and substances of abuse policies.
The 49ers made Foster the No. 31 overall draft pick out of Alabama in 2017. NFL teams had concerns about the linebacker's maturity and character heading into that draft. Those concerns, coupled with his recovery from shoulder surgery following Alabama's 2016 season, led to him falling to the No. 31 pick in the draft.
Foster failed a drug test in 2017 and was dismissed from the NFL Scouting Combine following an altercation with a hospital worker.
Foster missed six games as a rookie due to injury. He finished that season with 72 combined tackles and a pass defensed through 10 game appearances. Foster registered 29 combined tackles with a pass defensed through six games this season. He has not played since an October 28 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals due to a hamstring injury.
