49ers linebacker Reuben Foster escaped major punishment under the law for a weapons offense and a misdemeanor drug offense, but he will not avoid punishment from the NFL. On Tuesday, the NFL suspended Foster two games for violating the NFL's personal conduct and substances of abuse policies.
Foster, who submitted a stellar rookie season in 2017 that was cut short by injuries, will miss games against the Vikings (road) and Lions (home). He'll be eligible to return in time for the 49ers' Week 3 clash against the Chiefs.
"I accept the League's decision and am sorry that my mistakes have hurt my team," Foster said in a statement. "I have a responsibility to the 49ers, our fans and our community, and I am committed to learning from this situation and making better choices in the future. The support I have received over the last five months has been humbling, and I do not take it for granted."
49ers general manager John Lynch, meanwhile, said in his own statement that the team "supports" the league's decision to suspend Foster.
"Our organization understands and supports the League's decision," he said. "Although we are disappointed that Reuben will not be with our team for the first two games of the season, we will continue to work with him on making better decisions and eliminating unnecessary distractions. We are encouraged to see Reuben take responsibility for his mistakes, and hopeful that he has learned from them as well."
The suspension stems from Foster's tumultuous offseason, which involved multiple offseason arrests. In January, Alabama police charged him with misdemeanor possession of pot, but the case got dismissed in May. Earlier this month, Foster pleaded no contest to misdemeanor weapons possession and was sentenced to two years probation, 232 hours of community service, and $235 in fines. Foster also had domestic violence charges dismissed in May.
According to the 49ers' release, the suspension is directly tied to the drug and weapons charges -- not the domestic violence charges. After the drug and weapons charges were dismissed, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the league was still "mulling" a multi-game suspension for Foster. On Tuesday, the NFL handed it down.
Foster, taken with the 31st pick in 2017, appeared in 10 games during his rookie season, racking up 59 solo tackles and ranking as the league's fourth-best linebacker under Pro Football Focus' grading scale. So, losing Foster for two games -- against two tough teams -- is a tough loss for the 49ers.
However, given all of serious legal issues he generated in one offseason, losing Foster for only two games is hardly the worst-case scenario for the team or player. At one point, while the domestic violence case was ongoing, Lynch acknowledged that the team would cut Foster if the charges were proven to be true.
