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SANTA CLARA – 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, his team and several of his players were hoping to help Reuben Foster, in trouble, in the right direction.
In the end, they failed.
"I had several players, when I told them yesterday [that the 49ers were releasing Foster]they apologized, "Shanahan said Monday, two days after the arrest of his former linebacker for domestic violence," It was: "Sorry Kyle, we wish we could do more, we really wanted to help. a little what we felt. "
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Shanahan reiterated that a series of bad decisions by Foster had led to his release. There was hope, and a structure in place, to help the sophomore stay in the right path after his arrest on a previous charge of domestic violence earlier this year.
Austin Moss, director of the 49ers' player engagement, spoke with Foster every day, either in person or on the phone. Shanahan described this as "a lot of work" for Foster. Shanahan added that the 49ers had supported Foster not only through his previous domestic violence case, but also since arriving in Santa Clara, while knowing his many past transgressions.
Shanahan said that he had personally talked with Foster. The coach admitted that he knew Foster was still talking to his girlfriend Elissa Ennis sometimes, but he did not know if they lived together.
To find out, Shanahan explained, someone would have had to live with Foster. In his opinion, Shanahan would prefer the player to expose himself at that time so that the team can move on.
Shanahan was also convinced that neither he nor any of the 49ers would be aware of the latest incident discovered between Foster and Ennis, which occurred in early October, the Santa Clara police said.
If Shanahan or the team had learned this, Foster's 49ers would have been found a month earlier. The arrest of Foster on Saturday in Tampa, Florida, was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.
"I thought the bottom was last time," Shanahan said. "And I thought it would be very simple to wake up. And I think that was the case in many areas.
"But to put yourself in the situation in which he put himself, whether or not, if it happened, it's so easy, but if it was not the case It was still a bad decision to put us at ease to keep that person in our organization. "
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While Shanahan and the organization were quick in their decision to release the linebacker, the coach still feels compassion for Foster and he tried to call him twice after his release.
"I am very disappointed with him," Shanahan said. "It does not mean I do not care about him, it does not mean I do not have a relationship with him, he did not die for me because it happened. "
Shanahan explains that his compassion for Foster comes from knowing the difficult childhood of the linebacker.
"I have heard of very bad situations growing up of children," Shanahan said. "And Reuben grew up in one of those I've ever heard. That's where I feel it was hard for him to be like everyone else.
"I believe in his heart. I hope I'm not mistaken. Shame on me if I am, but I also know that he has shown that we can not trust his decision-making. "
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