Report: 49ers' McDonald arrested for domestic abuse; victim allegedly pregnant

Report: 49ers' McDonald arrested for domestic abuse; victim allegedly pregnant

It might not take NFL commissioner Roger  Goodell very long to test his new get-tough-on-domestic-violence stance.

NBC Bay Area's Damon Trujilo is reporting that San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Ray McDonald has been arrested for domestic abuse.

Making matters worse, Trujilo has been told the victim was pregnant.

Per sfgate.com, Santa Clara County records show that McDonald, who was also arrested for a DUI back in 2010, was booked early Sunday morning. No bail has been set.

This comes mere days after the commissioner sent out a letter to NFL owners explaining how he got the discipline in the Ray Rice case wrong and that he wants the league to take a far tougher approach to curbing domestic violence and abuse.

Under Goodell's new plan, first-time offenders are subject to a six-game suspension and repeat offenders would be suspended indefinitely. Abuse against a pregnant woman could carry a stiffer penalty, as well.

Details are still developing on the McDonald case, but we will update them as they become available.

It has been a fairly miserable offseason for the 49ers, who are are very talented team but have dealt with off-field problems, injuries, strife between head coach Jim Harbaugh and the front office and an offense that has yet to jell following the preseason.

On Friday, 49ers pass rusher Aldon Smith learned he was suspended for the first nine games of the season. Losing McDonald for any stretch of time would be a big blow to a defense that already is without key contributors in Smith, defensive lineman Glenn Dorsey and linebacker NaVorro Bowman, the latter two of whom are injured. McDonald,29, is a reliable and disruptive cog up front, and the 49ers' depth there is seriously starting to be tested.

We also know that Harbaugh has taken a very firm personal stance against domestic abuse, which could lead to added trouble for McDonald and his standing with the team.

This only could add to the mounting issues that Harbaugh faces.

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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!