Habitual sports gambling contributed to the personal downward spiral that caused the Cowboys to cut ties with starting running back Joseph Randle in the middle of this past season, the Dallas Morning News reported Monday.
Randle denied the report in a text message to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram early Tuesday.
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After starting the Cowboys' first six games in 2015, Randle's deteriorating mental health led to his Nov. 3 release, according to the Morning News report, which cited four team sources. The sources said Cowboys executives became aware that Randle had been placing bets on sporting events during the season.
It's not clear whether any of the wagers Randle allegedly made involved the Cowboys or other NFL games.
"All of (Randle's personal issues) became apparent to us right during the season," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters last week while attending Senior Bowl practice in Mobile, Ala. "Not before the season. It became real acute, a combination of things. Some issues ... became more apparent."
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When asked if there was evidence Randle's bets might have compromised any Cowboys games, Jones responded, "Not to my knowledge, not in any way."
Randle told the Star-Telegram there was "no truth at all" to the Morning News' report regarding gambling.
NFL rules strictly prohibit illegal sports gambling by players and league personnel.
Greg Aiello, a spokesman for the NFL, told the Morning News he did not know if the league was investigating Randle, but he also said the league had no knowledge of Randle betting on sports.
Randle, 24, was arrested early Monday in Irving, Texas, on an outstanding warrant for a speeding charge. It was his fourth arrest in 17 months.
Randle was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana on Feb. 6, 2015, when police in Wichita, Kan., responded to a domestic violence call at a hotel room rented to Randle. The charge was later dropped.
In November, several weeks after his release from the Cowboys, Randle was arrested after a scuffle with officers when he refused to leave a casino in Mulvane, Kan., police said. He was charged with suspicion of criminal threat, assault on a law officer, battery, disorderly conduct, criminal trespass, and interference with law enforcement.
Randle's first arrest came October 2014 when he was suspected of shoplifting. The misdemeanor charge was later dismissed.
The Cowboys believe Randle requires "serious help," according to the Morning News, and along with the NFL Players Association have reached out to the running back. But Randle has repeatedly declined their overtures for assistance, the report said.
Jones said the Cowboys asked Randle to agree to seek outside help for his unstable behavior. When Randle refused, he was let go, the Morning News reported.
"We asked him to do some things that he couldn't do for whatever reason," Jones said, "and that's when we waived him."
Selected in the fifth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, Randle played three seasons with the Cowboys, amassing 822 rushing yards and nine touchdowns on 181 carries. He remains a free agent.
