NFL

Thursday’s NFL: Foster’s ex-girlfriend testifies she lied to cops

Detroit News wires

Reuben Foster’s ex-girlfriend testified Thursday that the 49ers linebacker didn’t hit her on Feb. 11 and that the injuries police and hospital workers observed were the result of a fight she had with another woman following a road-rage incident in San Francisco the day before.

Judge Nona Klippen has heard testimony from three witnesses in the domestic violence case against Foster, including the motorist who gave Elissa Ennis his phone to call 911 and the detective investigating the case.

The most explosive statements came from Ennis, 28, who broke down several times during her two-hour testimony and who, while being questioned by Foster’s attorney, Joshua Bentley, admitted that she tried to bring false domestic violence charges against another former boyfriend in 2011 when that man tried to break up with her.

Said Bentley: “You knew in this case when Reuben Foster broke up with you that you were going to go to your playbook and ruin his career. Isn’t that true?”

Said a tearful Ennis: “Yes, sir.”

Ennis, 28, also admitted to stealing money and jewelry — including two Rolex watches — from Foster when she left his Los Gatos home and went back to her mother’s home in Louisiana. She has since returned the money but still has the jewelry, she said.

Why did she do so and why would she initially lie to police, she was asked? Because Foster wanted to end their relationship, she said, and “I wanted him to go down.”

“It was all a money scheme,” Ennis said. “I didn’t want to get this far in the news. It was about money.”

Prosecutors, however, believe Ennis was telling the truth when she initially said Foster dragged her by her hair down stairs and punched her as many as 10 times before throwing her out of the house.

Deputy District Attorney Kevin Smith submitted photos of Ennis on Feb. 11 that show scratches and marks on her hand, knee, face and neck. He also played 911 calls from Ennis is which she says “my boyfriend’s beating me up.”

Ennis said her injuries were suffered the previous day after she was cut off by another car, got into a road-rage situation with the driver and eventually fought a woman in San Francisco. A friend of Ennis’ found a video that shows a portion of the fight on Instagram and sent a video of it to Ennis.

Klippen will decide whether there is reason to proceed with a jury trial in July.

Browns cast for ‘Knocks’

Ready or not, the Cleveland Browns are getting their close-up.

Coming off a historic, dismal 0-16 season, the Browns have been chosen to appear on HBO’s popular “Hard Knocks” series, which gives NFL fans a behind-the-scenes look at training camp.

The Browns have turned down previous opportunities to be on the award-winning series. But with renewed optimism around Cleveland following the recent draft, and the selection of quarterback Baker Mayfield, the team is granting HBO unlimited access to its upcoming camp.

Cleveland is the 13th franchise to participate in “Hard Knocks,” which began in 2001 with the Baltimore Ravens. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were featured last summer.

Extra points

The Jacksonville Jaguars and Minnesota Vikings, teams that fell one victory shy of the Super Bowl last season, will hold joint practices in August.

The Green Bay Packers have signed second-round pick Josh Jackson, cornerback, from Iowa and third-rounder Oren Burks, a linebacker, of Vanderbilt.

The Broncos signed undrafted free agent quarterback Nick Stevens of Colorado State on Thursday, three weeks after John Elway said he wouldn’t bring in a fourth passer for offseason workouts.