Running back Chris Rainey has been fired from his role with the Pittsburgh Steelers after he allegedly beat his girlfriend on Thursday morning.
Following the attack, Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said:
“Chris Rainey’s actions this morning were extremely disappointing. Under the circumstances and due to this conduct, Chris will no longer be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
The attack allegedly occurred in Gainesville, Florida. According to reports, Rainey’s girlfriend swiped his phone, at which time he reacted by slapping her in the face.
In the official press release from the Gainesville Police Department, it was noted that Rainey dragged his victim from the passenger side of his roommate’s vehicle, at which time he slapped her in the face with an open hand. Rainey’s girlfriend attempted to run away, but he caught her and attempted to take his cell phone from her purse. As Chris Rainey grabbed for the bag, his actions knocked both of them to the ground.
Police confirm that at least two witnesses reported the same events during the attack.
Rainey has a horrible history with women including a September 2010 arrest for felony aggravated stalking in which he texted his on-again, off-again girlfriend with the message “Time to Die bitch.”
Thursdays attack has led to a battery charge, and, hours after the attack, Rainey was still in police custody.
While not an all star on the team, Chris Rainey did manage to score two touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2012-2013 season.
The NFL is notoriously bad at dealing with troubled players but has recently taken an active interest in assuring the safety of its players following several homicides and suicides related to concussion-based brain injury.