Joseph Randle said shoplifting arrest was 'biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life'

Joseph Randle apologized to his teammates Wednesday, two days after his arrest on suspicion of shoplifting.

“I talked to them about it,” said Randle, a Wichita native. “I can’t just go like nothing happened. I addressed the issues, and we’re trying to move forward from it. This is not a distraction from the team. We’re just trying to get ready and keep winning like we’ve been doing and play our rival team, the Giants, this week. That’s what we’re trying to focus on now.”

Frisco, Texas police arrested Randle on Monday night on suspicion of shoplifting a bottle of cologne and underwear, a Class B misdemeanor for theft between $50-$500. Video surveillance allegedly caught Randle stealing.

“I really just made a huge mistake,” Randle said. “I know it’s big-time consequences for things in life. I disappointed a lot of people who really care about me, like my brothers on the team, coaches around here and this whole organization, people who have supported me, my family, my dad. I let a lot of people down. I’m just going to try my best to make it up to them and just do whatever I’ve got to do to get past this.”

Jason Garrett confirmed the Cowboys will fine Randle “a significant amount,” which could be as much as $30,000, according to a source. But the backup running back will play Sunday against the Giants.

“It means a lot to be able to be out there with my team,” Randle said. “I love this game and I love the team I play for and I try my best to rep the star the right way. I didn’t do that and I’m going to try my best to make it up to my teammates and all of the people who really care about me.”

Randle, who joined the Cowboys as a fifth-round pick in 2013 out of Oklahoma State, signed a four-year, $2.3 million rookie contract, including a $188,820 signing bonus. His base salary this season is $495,000, or $29,118 per week.

He played 10 snaps last week against the Seahawks, gaining 52 yards on five carries, including a 38-yard run. Randle has 16 carries for 113 yards this season.

He promises to make good on his second chance.

“It’s the biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life,” Randle said. “I’ve never gotten in any kind of trouble in my whole life. This is just something I’ll have to learn from and move forward.”

This story was originally published October 16, 2014 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Joseph Randle said shoplifting arrest was 'biggest mistake I’ve ever made in my life'."