Update:
Here are statements from Redskins president Bruce Allen and LB Reuben Foster regarding the news.
Allen:
“Everyone in this league is held to a higher standard. Reuben understands that his past actions have led a lot of people to doubt him, and he has committed to doing the work necessary to earn the trust of his teammates, our great fans, and the NFL.”
“The Redskins have put in place a comprehensive responsibility and accountability plan to help Reuben be successful on and off the field. Elements of this plan include individual counseling, a structured living arrangement, weekly meetings with the club player engagement director, weekly meetings with our team chaplain, and targeted community service engagements.”
“We have been very clear with Reuben that his past does not have to determine his future – but the responsibility is squarely on him to change. Reuben must fully adhere to the plan we have developed for him. Reuben knows that we simply will not tolerate any future conduct that is detrimental to the Washington Redskins organization or to the NFL.”
Foster:
“I am grateful to the Washington Redskins and the NFL for giving me this second chance. 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 that 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. Going forward, I will follow the plan outlined for me and work hard to earn back the trust of my teammates, the NFL, NFL fans, and the community. I know that my success is all up to me, and I am committed to not letting you down.”
Tom Pelissero reports that the NFL notified Redskins LB Reuben Foster that he’ll be fined two game checks, but won’t be suspended after they found that he did violate the personal conduct policy.
Pelissero says that Foster will not appeal the fine and has accepted the discipline.
The NFL has also removed Foster from the commissioner’s exempt list.
Here’s the official statement from the NFL regarding the news:
“Today, the NFL notified Reuben Foster of the Washington Redskins that he will be fined two game checks following a review of recent incidents and an assessment of his adherence to obligations arising from previous violations of league policies. 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 NFL has returned Foster to the active roster from the Commissioner-Exempt list. He may fully participate in all team activities.
“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.”
According to JP Finlay of NBC Washington, no suspension is expected for Redskins LB Reuben Foster regarding an incident involving his ex-girlfriend that occurred last year.
The domestic violence charge against Foster was later dismissed.
Foster was scheduled to appear at an arraignment, but the hearing was canceled after the notice of termination of prosecution was filed.
Foster’s ex-girlfriend, Elissa Ennis, appeared on “Good Morning America” in December and said the fight stemmed from her threatening to tell Foster’s new girlfriend that he paid for her flight out to Florida.
Ennis also said that Foster had roughed her up on two other separate occasions.
The NFL placed Foster on the commissioner’s exempt list shortly after he was claimed by the Redskins.
The commissioner exempt list prevents a player from practicing or attending games, but he’s allowed be at the team’s facility and take part in meetings, individual workouts, therapy and rehabilitation, and other permitted non-football activities.
Foster has had multiple off-the-field issues since entering the NFL including a second-degree marijuana possession and a domestic violence incident involving his ex-girlfriend, who later recanted the allegations against him and the judge found no other evidence to support the charges.
Foster, 25, is a former first-round pick of the 49ers back in 2017. The 49ers waived him last year and he was later claimed off of waivers by the Redskins.
Foster is in the third year of his four-year, $9.03 million contract and set to make a base salary of $1.28 million for the 2019 season.
The contract includes a fifth-year option for the Redskins to pick up in 2020.
In 2018, Foster appeared in six games for the 49ers and recorded 29 tackles and a pass defense.
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