Aaron Berry found himself booted right out of the NFL on Monday, when the Detroit Lionsreleased the cornerback following his second arrest of the offseason.
Berry released a statement later in the day, apologizing for his actions while explaining "there are always two sides to every story" regarding his Saturday arrest on three counts of simple assault. He's being accused of pointing a gun at three people in a Harrisburg, Pa., parking lot.
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The statement, in its entirety:
"Words cannot describe how embarrassed I am right now. I've let my family, my teammates, my coaches and the entire Detroit Lions organization, including the fans down and I'm so sorry. I know it sounds crazy to some people, but I know I will continue to get better and grow from this unfortunate experience, I have no choice but to get better. There are always two sides to every story and the legal process will be where I will tell my side regarding this recent incident.
"I love the game of football and still feel I have a bright future ahead of me. I worked my butt off this off-season and I hope to be able to help some team in the NFL win games as I continue to grow as a father, friend, teammate and into the man I want to be. I want to thank Coach Schwartz, Coach Cunningham, Martin Mayhew and all the Lions staff, players and fan base for such a wonderful opportunity where I was able to showcase my football skills. Again, I'm so sorry for letting you all down."
One of Berry's attorneys, Audie Attar, said in a statement that Berry will head to Chicago on Tuesday to enter the NFL's substance abuse program. He will also enroll in a similar program in California "to ensure he is learning more about himself."
Another attorney, Corky Goldstein, told NFL.com's Matt Wilhalme on Monday that the Lions rushed to judgment in cutting ties with Berry.
In a related story, we now know how many lawyers it takes to try to spin a troubled player back onto an NFL roster.
