Arian Foster Announces Retirement Midseason

Miami Dolphins running back and former Houston Texans star Arian Foster announced his retirement in stunning fashion on Monday

Without question, there’s a precedent to either late-drafted or undrafted players going on to have successful NFL careers. However, one of the more impressive of the past decade has to be that of Arian Foster. The running back entered the 2009 draft, but never heard his name called or his phone ring. However, it wasn’t long before he caught on with the Houston Texans.

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Now, seven years later, the formerly undrafted back out of Tennessee is going to hang up the pads.

On Monday night, the current Miami Dolphins running back announced his retirement on Uninterrupted, releasing a simultaneous statement as to why he’s walking away:

This is certainly a statement from a player that shows a side your rarely see from many people in the NFL. Foster is real, vulnerable, and emotional throughout. You can tell that he wants to keep playing, but his body is telling him differently.

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After playing only six games and getting 54 carries in his rookie year, Foster came on strong in Year 2. He played in all 16 contests and took 327 carries for 1,616 yards and 16 scores. That began a string of three-straight seasons of 1,200 yards or more and double-digit rushing touchdowns.

Unfortunately, the injuries began cropping up the next season when he played just eight games. In the 3.5 seasons including that year, he missed at least three games in each.

Foster walks away having rushed for 6,527 yards on 4.4 yards per carry for his career, along with 54 rushing scores. He was more than just one of the best backs in football when healthy, though. Whether in Houston or Miami, Foster was always thoughtful and on the front with any social cause he felt worthy.

It’s sad to see him go, but also comforting to see him leave on his own terms—even if so abruptly.