SAN FRANCISCO—The 49ers have officially released embattled defensive end Ray McDonald.
McDonald, a former third-round pick and defensive stalwart, has been a vital cog of the Niners defense since entering the league in 2007. Since then, the talented but troubled McDonald has had a history of run-ins with the law, including an August arrest at his San Jose home on suspicion of domestic violence against his fiancé.
Already on thin ice with the Niners, the revelation that McDonald was under investigation by local authorities for a sexual assault, allegedly taking place on Monday, was enough for the team to cut ties with the defensive lineman once and for all.
“If this was one incident, we would be standing up here talking about due process, like we have multiple times, in multiple other situations,” Niners General Manager Ted Baalke said. “But this is just a pattern of decision-making that Ray has demonstrated over a period of time that, once again, it’s no longer going to be tolerated.”
Authorities have searched McDonald’s home for evidence, but as of press time, no arrests have been made and no charges have been filed.
