BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 17: Rodney Austin #74 of the Detroit Lions warms up prior to the start of the Lions game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 17, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 17: Rodney Austin #74 of the Detroit Lions warms up prior to the start of the Lions game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 17, 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

By Ashley Dunkak

@AshleyDunkak

ALLEN PARK – The Detroit Lions released guard Rodney Austin earlier this week after his arrest on domestic violence charges. General manager Martin Mayhew confirmed there is a possibility Austin could rejoin the Lions once the issue is resolved legally. In the meantime, however, the team will make other plans.

“I found out that he had a domestic violence incident last Thursday,” Mayhew said. “So if there was some speculation about when I found that out, it was last Thursday. I wanted to sit down and talk to him about that. I talked to him and decided the best thing for us to do was move on from him. I told him, I said, ‘Hey, I have not closed the door on bringing him back.’

“But until he gets his legal issues resolved,” Mayhew added, “I thought the best thing for us to do as a franchise was to move on.”

The mother of Austin’s infant child accused Austin of pushing her to the floor while she had the couple’s baby in her arms. She also said Austin broke and took her cell phone to prevent her from calling the police. When police arrived, they found no sign of injury and did not issue a warrant for Austin’s arrest. Almost two weeks later, the woman went to a judge and requested a warrant be issued for Austin’s arrest based on her statement of the incident. The ability to obtain a warrant in such a way is unique to the state of North Carolina, where the incident occurred. The judge complied with the request, and once the warrant was issued, Austin turned himself in.

Austin, who spent parts of the last three seasons on the team’s practice squad, denies the allegations.

Lions wide receiver Golden Tate sent out a series of tweets Thursday night that appeared to be a response to Austin’s situation. Before he deleted the tweets, several folks captured them on screenshots.

golden tate smh pic.twitter.com/qUWJpd62Z1 — Dre Smith (@DreSmithJr) April 24, 2015

Tate referenced his deleted tweets and then posted one more on the topic.

Lemme stop before I'm misinterpreted — Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) April 24, 2015

I think before anything is publicized either party is accused of anything the situation and facts should be thoroughly examined. — Golden Tate (@ShowtimeTate) April 24, 2015

Tate has expressed his views before on domestic violence and the “he said, she said” dynamic that is often involved.