Is Reuben Foster close to destroying his NFL career?

Former Alabama football star, Reuben Foster has been charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor resulting from a February arrest in California.

By any reasonable assessment, Reuben Foster has seriously jeopardized his short NFL career. Foster was arrested in February after a domestic dispute with his girlfriend. The charges, including three felonies, could lead to more than 10 years in prison.

Reuben should not be prematurely assumed guilty of the charges. No one beyond the actual participants knows exactly what happened between the young couple. Reported details of the altercation may not accurately describe what exactly happened.

The charges against Foster are serious and disturbing. Based on this report from Tom Schad of USA Today Sports,

"The district attorney’s office said the incident in question involved Foster’s live-in girlfriend, who told police that Foster punched her in the head eight to 10 times, dragged her by her hair and physically threw her out of Foster’s home in Los Gatos, Calif. on Feb. 11."

When police entered Foster’s home as part of the investigation they also found an “assault rifle and a large capacity magazine,” both unlawful in the state of California.

The San Francisco 49ers released the statement below.

A Pattern of Bad Behavior?

Unfortunately, Foster has been a lightning rod for controversy since the 2016 Alabama football season. He was sent home from last year’s NFL Combine after a heated confrontation with a medical technician. He also failed an NFL drug test due to a ‘diluted sample.’ In January he was arrested In Tuscaloosa for marijuana possession.

A simple marijuana possession will not end an NFL career. Though a felony, a first offense for unlawful firearms might not end an NFL career, even with a conviction. Domestic abuse, if proven, is a more troubling matter.

Reuben Foster is far from the first and surely will not be the last NFL player charged with domestic abuse. Rightly so, domestic abuse convictions carry serious punishments. Beyond legal penalties, perpetrators of domestic violence also have severely damaged reputations.

One Alabama football fan’s response describes it well,

We agree. Wake up and wise up Reuben before it is too late!

Next: Saban contract the best deal in CFB

Fame at any level is often fleeting. Reuben Foster is not guilty of a crime unless proven otherwise. At the least, he is guilty of risking and perhaps foolishly squandering an opportunity available to only a few.