The Dallas Cowboys have officially released Joseph Randle, ending a turbulent two weeks for the third-year running back who took over as the starter when league leading rusher DeMarco Murray left in the offseason for Philadelphia.
The Cowboys had grown concerned over Randle's mental stability over the last two weeks as he was away from the team dealing with several personal issues.
A chaotic confluence of events that includes a demotion, a nagging back injury, a looming punishment by the NFL for violating the personal conduct policy in February and an unusual call to Irving police on Wednesday knocked Randle off balance in recent days. Randle didn't practice last week and spent most of his time away from team headquarters.
Randle placed a call to the Irving police at 12:35 p.m. Wednesday. Department spokesman James McClellan said he asked that police go to his home to perform a welfare check on his girlfriend, Avina Rodriguez. Randle told police he found her cell phone in his car and was concerned that someone had broken into his house.
McClellan said Randle met the police at his home and handed over his keys for them to check inside. It turned out Rodriguez was at school. Since there was no suspicion of criminal activity, no report was written up, McClellan said.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Sunday evening after the team's loss to Seattle that team counselors were working closely with Randle while he's away from the team sorting through several issues and the club would remain patient with him.
Randle wasn't at AT&T Stadium on Sunday evening for the Cowboys' game against Seattle, Jones said, and the club had grown concerned about his mental stability.
"I'm always concerned as to any issues regarding the [mental] health of a player," Jones said. "It's a lot more serious than the football [injury] and that's why he's not dressed out."
Jones said Randle's family is also helping him through his trying times. Read more about Randle and his family in this in-depth story about the running back's life.
"He has very good family support and has great siblings," Jones said, "as well as a father who has shown he will give him some support."
The Cowboys drafted Randle with the 151st overall pick in the fifth round in 2013. He served as Murray's backup the first two seasons.
Randle averaged 6.7 yards on 51 carries last season, but he also ran into trouble off the field for the first time.
Last October, Randle was arrested at Stonebriar Mall after police said he tried to take a bottle of cologne and a pack of underwear from Dillard's. Randle, who called it "the biggest mistake of my life," received deferred adjudication and his misdemeanor theft charge was later dismissed.
"It wasn't in character for him," Larry Randle Jr., Randle's oldest brother, recently told The Dallas Morning News. "It's a young guy growing up. He didn't need the stuff. That's why everybody is so baffled."
Four months later, Randle was arrested again in February in Wichita, where police responded to a domestic violence call from his hotel room. Randle said the incident was from an argument with his ex-girlfriend, Dalia Jacobs, who is the mother of his 2-year-old son. Randle was cited for marijuana possession, but the drug charge was later dropped. In April, Kansas authorities said Randle wouldn't face felony charges for domestic violence after they investigated allegations from Jacobs that he pointed a gun at her and her friend. The district attorney in that case said there was a lack of evidence.
However, the NFL recently told Cowboys officials and Randle was informed that league officials determined Randle violated the league's personal conduct policy and the running back would face either a fine or a suspension.
"One decision that you make in a split second can be huge," Randle told The Dallas Morning News last month. "You got to handle things the right way in a short amount of time. One situation, everybody gets into an argument with somebody over something they care about. Most of the time you get into arguments over stuff you care about. I have a son with the woman - and I'm not supposed to talk about that situation - but, yeah, I think it was out of character."
Randle, 23, started the first six games for the Cowboys, rushing for 315 yards and four touchdowns on 76 carries. Veteran Darren McFadden made his first start for the Cowboys on Sunday against the Seahawks and is expected to be Dallas' lead back the remainder of the season.
Randle's release came just more than two hours before the NFL's 3 p.m. trade deadline Tuesday and five days before Murray makes his return to AT&T Stadium to face his former team while wearing the Eagles' green.