Washington Football Team coach Ron Rivera called the release of running back Derrius Guice a difficult but necessary decision.
Washington released Guice on Friday, the same day he was arrested on three counts of domestic violence, stemming from incidents in February, March and April, according to the Sheriff County Sheriff’s Department.
“Every time you have to release a very talented player, it’s always a difficult decision,” Rivera said, in his first public comments on the situation. “We take these allegations very, very seriously and we had to make a decision. I have spoken to them [Washington’s] players yesterday that I made a decision, I believe, was in the best interest of our organization and if it was the right decision, we will benefit from it and if it will not be up to me. I will first and foremost take full responsibility for making sure we do things the right way. “
Washington selected Guice in the second round of the 2018 draft. He was a controversial figure who came into the design with questions about his character. Karolina, where Rivera was coaching, took Guice off his design board with concerns about his knee and his character, according to multiple sources. Other teams did the same.
But Rivera declined to say whether other factors such as his health led to Guice’s release. In a statement released Friday, the team said it had not learned of the charges until Friday.
“We had a conversation with him Friday morning, and from what we later learned we made our decision,” Rivera said.
Guice had only played two games in two seasons with Washington due to three knee injuries. He has never touched the ball more than 10 times in a game. The organization considered him unreliable, which is why they signed veteran Peyton Barber in the offseasons and drafted Antonio Gibson in the fourth round. They also have Adrian Peterson, third-down back JD McKissic, and Bryce Love, the former Stanford star who has not played since a torn ACL near the end of his 2018 college season.
“Derrius is a gifted young footballer and again, it’s one of those things where we’re trying to get ready for the season and one thing we can not have are situations and circumstances that are outside our realm,” he said. Rivera. “He will have to deal with something for a while, and his chances of being prepared for the season would be limited.”
Meanwhile, two days after Guice’s release, Washington activated physical defender Reuben Foster unable to make a list. Foster was twice accused of domestic violence, but prosecutors were dropped both times. Washington demanded him in November 2018, two days after San Francisco released him.
When compared to the release of Guice, Rivera insisted that each situation is unique and thus treated. He said he liked what he saw of Foster.
“Reuben and I talked about these things,” Rivera said. “The one thing Reuben has really shown since I’m here is that he does things the right way. He does things the way we need him. He’s done a great job in terms of his rehabilitation and a great job. who works with our coaches. Here’s a man who needed a change of scenery. That might be one of the things that really benefited him. Who knows, that’s what might be needed in case of Derrius, an opportunity for a change of scenery. “
Washington also has receiver Cody Latimer on the roster following his arrest in May on five charges, including the illegal firing of a firearm, stemming from an incident at a poker game. His lawyer said one of the people Latimer allegedly shot at was under investigation for sexually assaulting Latimer’s son. The NFL placed Latimer on the commissioner’s release list because the league is investigating the situation.
Rivera said that because he is on the released list, they will wait to hear what the league says before deciding what to do with Latimer.
“We will look at each situation, each circumstance individually and we will continue our process and make our assessments,” he said.
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