Arian Foster Injury Update: Surgery will be in L.A. by Robert Watkins

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster (23) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Campbell-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans star running back Arian Foster is done for the rest of the 2013 season, as he will need back surgery to repair a ruptured/herniated disc in his back. Foster tried as hard as possible to avoid surgery, but none of the three experts he spoke to would give him the “OK” to continue playing this year and avoid surgery. He also tried to hold off surgery until the offseason, but it sounds like that won’t be the case. The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported earlier today that Foster will undergo surgery on either Wednesday or Thursday, and the Texans will officially announce his placement on the injured reserve tomorrow.

Now the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain, who first raised the issue of possible season-ending surgery for Arian Foster, reports that Foster’s surgery will occur in Los Angeles and will be done by the famous Dr. Robert Watkins. As Rapoport and the National Football Post’s Joel Corry explain, Rob Gronkowski, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Houston Rockets superstar Dwight Howard all had surgeries done by Watkins. The most notable of those names is Gronkowski, who has had a number of nagging back injuries throughout his career, stemming from his college days with the Arizona Wildcats.

With Foster out for the season, it’s up to Ben Tate to shoulder the load under four cracked ribs. Dennis Johnson is an intriguing back who should be picked up as a curiosity stash in deep fantasy leagues (I’m a Foster owner and just added him), because he will receive significant carries if Tate can’t hold up under the wait. Due to all the details released about Foster’s surgery by McClain, it’s very likely that Foster will go under the knife within the week.

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