Eric Foster
Encyclopedia
Eric Jerome Foster is an American football
defensive tackle in the National Football League
. Undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft
, Foster signed a free agent
contract with the Indianapolis Colts
. He played college football
for Rutgers University
.
by The Miami Herald
following his senior year at Homestead High School
where he led the team to 9-4 season and regional final in state playoffs.
in 2003, Foster made an immediate impact in 2004 as a backup defensive end
, playing in all 11 games. Foster was injured during the second game of the 2005 season, only to return in 2006 as the team's starting
defensive tackle, lining up to Ramel Meekins. Despite the unit's lack of size, Foster's six sacks
helped Rutgers
register forty-one sacks total in 2006, good for fifth in all of Division I-A http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2006&div=4&rpt=IA_teamsacks&site=org, as well as fourth in total defense http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2006&div=4&rpt=IA_teamtotdef&site=org.
Foster gained national notoriety in 2006 for his stellar play, as well as for a popular clip aired by ESPN
of a locker room speech. Snippets of the video were played at later home games. In addition, he makes a chopping motion with his arms and hands as a reference to his coach
, Greg Schiano
's motto, "Keep Choppin'."
For his efforts, Foster was named first team all-Big East Conference
. The Football Writers Association of America
named him as a first-team All-American at defensive tackle, as well as making Honorable Mention on the AP
's team. In 2007, he was named a preseason All-American by Sports Illustrated
.
Foster was named to several pre-season All-America teams for 2007 at DT. He was named to the preseason watch list for the Lott Trophy
, annually awarded to the best defensive player in the nation.
for the Indianapolis Colts
on May 2, 2008. Foster played in 13 games during his first season starting 11 of them.
During the Colts Monday Night Football game against the Buccaneers on October 3rd, 2011, Foster suffered a gruesome leg injury. During the final minutes of the first half, teammate Tyler Brayton
rolled on Foster's ankle, causing his foot to turn painfully the wrong direction. His ankle was dislocated in the process. He was brought to Tampa General Hospital, where he underwent surgery the following day to repair the bone. Foster will miss the rest of the 2011-12 season.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
defensive tackle in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
, Foster signed a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
contract with the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
.
High school career
Foster was named All-Dade at linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
by The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...
following his senior year at Homestead High School
Homestead High School (Homestead, Florida)
Homestead High School is a secondary school located at 2351 SE 12 Avenue in Homestead, Florida. It is part of the Miami-Dade County Public Schools district. The principal is Ms. Cory R. Rodriguez....
where he led the team to 9-4 season and regional final in state playoffs.
College career
After redshirtingRedshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
in 2003, Foster made an immediate impact in 2004 as a backup defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
, playing in all 11 games. Foster was injured during the second game of the 2005 season, only to return in 2006 as the team's starting
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
defensive tackle, lining up to Ramel Meekins. Despite the unit's lack of size, Foster's six sacks
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
helped Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
register forty-one sacks total in 2006, good for fifth in all of Division I-A http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2006&div=4&rpt=IA_teamsacks&site=org, as well as fourth in total defense http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2006&div=4&rpt=IA_teamtotdef&site=org.
Foster gained national notoriety in 2006 for his stellar play, as well as for a popular clip aired by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
of a locker room speech. Snippets of the video were played at later home games. In addition, he makes a chopping motion with his arms and hands as a reference to his coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, Greg Schiano
Greg Schiano
Gregory Edward Schiano is the head coach for the Rutgers University football team. He has held that position since 2001.-Early life and education:...
's motto, "Keep Choppin'."
For his efforts, Foster was named first team all-Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
. The Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
named him as a first-team All-American at defensive tackle, as well as making Honorable Mention on the AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
's team. In 2007, he was named a preseason All-American by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
.
Foster was named to several pre-season All-America teams for 2007 at DT. He was named to the preseason watch list for the Lott Trophy
Lott Trophy
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. IMPACT is an acronym for: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community, and tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as...
, annually awarded to the best defensive player in the nation.
Professional career
After going undrafted, Foster was signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
for the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on May 2, 2008. Foster played in 13 games during his first season starting 11 of them.
During the Colts Monday Night Football game against the Buccaneers on October 3rd, 2011, Foster suffered a gruesome leg injury. During the final minutes of the first half, teammate Tyler Brayton
Tyler Brayton
Tyler Brayton is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders 32nd overall in the 2003 NFL Draft...
rolled on Foster's ankle, causing his foot to turn painfully the wrong direction. His ankle was dislocated in the process. He was brought to Tampa General Hospital, where he underwent surgery the following day to repair the bone. Foster will miss the rest of the 2011-12 season.