San Francisco 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster said he is using his legal problems that he feared could cost him his football career this offseason as a learning tool going forward now that he has been cleared of the most serious charges.

Foster spoke to the media on Saturday for the first time since he was charged in April for felony domestic assault and later exonerated when the accuser recanted her story and a judge found no other credible evidence.

"I learned every day I have to go harder at everything I do now to better myself even more Josh Gordon Jersey Elite ," Foster said. "It's like do or die. Just don't mess up. ... It's like how I'm trying to craft my career, I have to craft my life."

Foster spent much of his offseason dealing with legal issues rather than preparing for his second season in the NFL. He was charged in January in Alabama with second-degree marijuana possession. That charge was eventually dismissed after he completed a first-time offender diversion course.

Foster then faced more serious charges for an incident in California in February. He was initially charged in April with felonies for domestic violence, making criminal threats and weapons possession after being accused of beating up his ex-girlfriend.

A judge ruled there was no probable cause on the first two charges after the ex-girlfriend recanted the allegations and the judge found no other evidence to support the charges. The weapons charge was reduced to a misdemeanor and Foster pleaded no-contest to that in June.

He was sentenced to two years' probation, 232 hours of community service, and $235 in fines.

Foster declined to discuss specifics of the case on Saturday and is just thankful to be back with his teammates on the field.

"It made me appreciate football a lot better," he said. "It was crazy knowing that football could be gone. Just being back on this field with my brothers and these coaches is a blessing."

Foster missed about a month of the offseason program while dealing with the legal issues and will also be suspended without pay for the first two games of the regular season for violating the NFL's conduct and substance-abuse policy.

He is able to take part in training camp and play the exhibition games, but must sit out San Francisco's games against Minnesota and Detroit before being allowed to return on Sept. 17 before the Niners play Kansas City.

"It was painful Hayden Hurst Jersey Elite ," Foster said of the punishment. "It's football, something I do, something I love. It is what it is. Accept the consequences, you take it and you move on. You learn from it, too, and you grow from it."

The 49ers stood behind Foster even as he was not allowed at the facility. But coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have made clear that Foster must get his life in order and avoid further legal trouble if he wants to remain part of the organization.

"I think Reuben's done a great job just handling it," Shanahan said. "What they originally charged him with is as bad of a thing as you can imagine. It's a very embarrassing thing because of how bad it was. To have all that scrutiny on you and to have to go through that Ronald Jones II Buccaneers Jersey , I think would be a challenge for any human being. That would mess a lot of people up.

"I've been really, very impressed with Reuben in how he handled it, the process he went through while it was going on and after it got dropped, how he's handled himself since. I know he learned a lot through it. We talked about it a lot at the beginning, that some things seem so bad but if you get through it, it can be a good thing in the long run. If you handle it right, it can enlighten you in some things and help you grow. I really think it has for Reuben and I think it's benefited him in the long run."

Foster said he appreciated the support Cheap Trent Brown Jersey , especially from teammates who came to court in a public show of support. One of those teammates was Richard Sherman, who barely knew Foster after signing with the team in March.

Sherman and Foster now have lockers next to each other.

"That's real. He's a man for that," Foster said of Sherman coming to court in April. "I respect Richard Sherman for that, coming to court and supporting me. Just being there for me at the hard times."

鈥?Tom Brady shook off a hand injury and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola with 2:48 remaining, rallying the New England Patriots back to the Super Bowl with a 24-20 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship Sunday.Brady, wearing a black bandage on his right hand, showed no signs of being hampered. And Los Angeles Rams Jerseys Womens , with the game 鈥?and possibly the season 鈥?on the line, the Patriots star came up big again.Brady finished 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots (15-3), who’ll play the winner of Sunday night’s game between Minnesota and Philadelphia in Minneapolis on Feb. 4.The Jaguars (12-7) led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold against the defending champions. Copyright ©2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed..