Ex-Alabama LB Reuben Foster booted from NFL combine
Former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, a potential top-10 pick in next month's NFL draft, was sent home from the Indianapolis scouting combine for a "heated altercation" he got into Friday with a hospital worker, according to multiple sources.
All one NFL spokesman would say was that Foster was being sent home for "personal reasons." He did not want to comment further.
Foster, the top-graded inside linebacker for many teams, was scheduled to go through team interviews Friday night and testing Saturday, none of which will happen now, according to sources. Foster was scheduled to fly home to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday.
NFL officials are reviewing the procedures that contributed to the incident to see if they can make improvements and ensure it doesn't happen again, per league sources.
Another league source said there was a "miscommunication" that allowed the argument between Foster and a hospital worker to escalate.
Foster had been waiting for an extended period for what the NFL calls his "pre-exam," when he grew increasingly impatient and began questioning a hospital worker.
The hospital worker did not take kindly to Foster's words, and eventually the two were face-to-face, in a heated exchange.
Other players were there at the time, and the NFL is questioning them to get a full account of events.
But one league source said the league has to review the procedures and create better communication so that players understand what is happening and why there are delays.
According to AL.com, Foster said "nothing happened" in a live Instagram video posted Saturday.
"Y'all, stop asking me what happened, for real," Foster said in the video, according to AL.com. "Nothing happened."
Foster said teammates were with him at the time of the incident and could verify what happened.
"I'm chilling with my people right now," Foster said in the video. "My agent backs me. I'm staying low. When I get my chance, I'm taking advantage of it. I'm telling you. That's all I know."
Foster is a potential top-10 pick, and one team executive said last night that he thought "Foster was a legitimate top-three pick" coming into the combine.
Foster is recovering from recent rotator cuff surgery in his right shoulder and was not set to participate in drills at the combine, a league source told ESPN's Adam Caplan earlier.
Foster's projected recovery timetable was about four months, the source told Caplan, which is well ahead of the start of training camps in July.
Foster was Alabama's leading tackler last season and a unanimous first-team All-American. He also won the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker.
Watching the combine, and a comparison that I personally didn't think about, as I wasn't a fan of him to start with, they compared Mahomes to Cutler. Definitely hope they go a different direction if they wait till round 2 for a QB. I'm fond of Kaaya, but I might be alone on that. I don't think he's special, like Newton or Luck, but could be a guy like Andy Dalton that can succeed
I said after I watched some of Mahomes film that he reminded me of Cutler. Give me Watson all day long at 3.
Watching the combine, and a comparison that I personally didn't think about, as I wasn't a fan of him to start with, they compared Mahomes to Cutler. Definitely hope they go a different direction if they wait till round 2 for a QB. I'm fond of Kaaya, but I might be alone on that. I don't think he's special, like Newton or Luck, but could be a guy like Andy Dalton that can succeed
I said after I watched some of Mahomes film that he reminded me of Cutler. Give me Watson all day long at 3.
Mayock had Mahomes critique down. He just didn't throw from the pocket enough. It will always be a pocket passer's league and guys like him turn into VY and RG3 way too often.
Ex-Alabama LB Reuben Foster booted from NFL combine
Former Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster, a potential top-10 pick in next month's NFL draft, was sent home from the Indianapolis scouting combine for a "heated altercation" he got into Friday with a hospital worker, according to multiple sources.
All one NFL spokesman would say was that Foster was being sent home for "personal reasons." He did not want to comment further.
Foster, the top-graded inside linebacker for many teams, was scheduled to go through team interviews Friday night and testing Saturday, none of which will happen now, according to sources. Foster was scheduled to fly home to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Saturday.
NFL officials are reviewing the procedures that contributed to the incident to see if they can make improvements and ensure it doesn't happen again, per league sources.
Another league source said there was a "miscommunication" that allowed the argument between Foster and a hospital worker to escalate.
Foster had been waiting for an extended period for what the NFL calls his "pre-exam," when he grew increasingly impatient and began questioning a hospital worker.
The hospital worker did not take kindly to Foster's words, and eventually the two were face-to-face, in a heated exchange.
Other players were there at the time, and the NFL is questioning them to get a full account of events.
But one league source said the league has to review the procedures and create better communication so that players understand what is happening and why there are delays.
According to AL.com, Foster said "nothing happened" in a live Instagram video posted Saturday.
"Y'all, stop asking me what happened, for real," Foster said in the video, according to AL.com. "Nothing happened."
Foster said teammates were with him at the time of the incident and could verify what happened.
"I'm chilling with my people right now," Foster said in the video. "My agent backs me. I'm staying low. When I get my chance, I'm taking advantage of it. I'm telling you. That's all I know."
Foster is a potential top-10 pick, and one team executive said last night that he thought "Foster was a legitimate top-three pick" coming into the combine.
Foster is recovering from recent rotator cuff surgery in his right shoulder and was not set to participate in drills at the combine, a league source told ESPN's Adam Caplan earlier.
Foster's projected recovery timetable was about four months, the source told Caplan, which is well ahead of the start of training camps in July.
Foster was Alabama's leading tackler last season and a unanimous first-team All-American. He also won the Butkus Award, given to the nation's best linebacker.