Pittsburgh Steelers put Chris Rainey on waivers after his arrest

The Pittsburgh Steelers waived running back Chris Rainey on Thursday after he was arrested in Gainesville, Fla., and charged with one count of simple battery after an altercation with a woman over a cellphone.

“Under the circumstances and due to this conduct, Chris will no longer be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert said.

According to the police report, witnesses said Rainey and the female accuser were arguing over Rainey’s cellphone and Rainey slapped her. Rainey then chased the woman and grabbed her bag to retrieve his cellphone, the report said. Neither Rainey nor the woman suffered visible injuries.

Rainey had previously been arrested on Sept. 14, 2010, while at the University of Florida in connection with a threatening text message sent to his girlfriend that read in part: “Time to Die.” Rainey was charged with felony aggravated stalking. He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor stalking charge and was ordered to undergo counseling for anger management/domestic violence issues.

The Steelers selected Rainey in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. He ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns, caught 14 passes for 60 yards, and averaged 26.5 yards on 39 kickoff returns in his first season with the Steelers.

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