By G.Stryker
SteelerNation.com
Former Pittsburgh Steelers guard, Ramon Foster retired last week, and with all of the moves the Steelers made in free agency this month, I felt it was important to celebrate the man and his time as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
Foster went to the University of Tennessee where he played left guard as a freshman before moving to right tackle to finish his college career. Ramon played most of his 2007 season with a broken thumb and was noticed by ESPN’s Mark May who named him to his “MayDay Team” for his toughness. He was also known as a vocal leader in the locker room, something he would continue as a professional.
Though Ramon competed in the combine in 2009, he wasn’t drafted and was picked up by the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent. Most URFA's don’t make the roster, let alone get any playing time, but Foster was an exception to the rule. He saw his first action as a rookie in Week 3 and ended up starting 4 games at left guard. In his sophomore season, Ramon was the backup swing guard and would eventually become the starting right guard as the team marched all the way to the Super Bowl. By the 2nd week of his 2011 season, Ramon became the starting right guard for the next two seasons. In 2013, he moved to left guard where he remained for the rest of his career.
One thing to note, as the Steelers drafted first round blue chip linemen in Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro, Foster became a leader and a mentor. As the former linemen enjoyed salaries close to $10M a season, Foster was always the team player and took much more frugal contracts to stay with the team he loved. Even though he graded out as a top guard in 2015 and 2016 by Pro Football Focus, he was never known as an athletic player, but he was known for being strong and tough. Defensive players rarely got pressure, and in 2016, only one quarterback sack went through him during his 16 games.
So it’s time to celebrate the football life of Ramon Foster, a man who gave 11 years of his life to give all he had to the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the most memorable moments for me will be the moving Instagram he shared thanking his teammates and fans for supporting him. So to me, it was no surprise, instead of entering free agency and having to go through moving to a new town and starting from scratch with another team, Ramon ended his career on his own terms and retired as a Pittsburgh Steeler. Thank you for your hard work. leadership, and dedication to the team we love. Your sacrifice and toughness will always be remembered. You will forever be Black and Gold, and Steeler Nation will continue to cheer for you the rest of your life.
Want to leave some kind words for Mr. Foster? Please do so in the comments below!
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