A former Vol standout offensive lineman is hanging up his football cleats after over a decade in the NFL.
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster announced on Monday afternoon that he is retiring from the NFL, moving on after 11 years with the Steelers.
“When the time comes, you just know, and now is the time for me to take a bow,” said Foster in a statement. “I’ve made some friends for a lifetime, had some moments that I’ll never forget, and seen some things I never thought I would because of this game. First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife and sons. I also want to thank the Steelers organization – Coach (Mike) Tomlin, Mr. Art Rooney II, the late Ambassador (Dan) Rooney, and Kevin Colbert for making Pittsburgh feel like a family. There are so many more people I need to thank, including everyone on staff with the Steelers. I would also like to thank my teammates who made this journey something very special to me and my family – you guys were amazing.
“Last but definitely not least, thank you to the best fans in all of sports. I’m glad to say I was a Steeler for life, and there is no other organization I would have rather played for in my career.”
Foster joined Tennessee out of Ripley High School in Ripley, TN. He started for the Vols and appeared in 44 games at UT, earning Freshman All-SEC honors in 2005 and was voted to the Second Team All-SEC in 2007.
After his time at UT, Foster went undrafted, but the 6-foot-5, 328-pound lineman didn’t let that deter him. He was signed by Pittsburgh as an undrafted free agent after the 2009 NFL Draft, and he ended up starting as a rookie late in the 2009 season. He appeared in 14 games and made four starts for the Steelers, including the final three regular season games.
From that point on, Foster became a mainstay on the Steelers’ offensive line, starting 145 of the 160 games he played in his career. Both of those rank as the second-most for a guard in Steelers history.
In 2010, Foster started at right guard for the Steelers for the final seven games of the season and all throughout the postseason, starting for Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV. The Steelers lost 31-25 to the Green Bay Packers, denying Foster the chance of earning a Super Bowl ring.
Foster was a captain for the Steelers and signed a two-year, $8.25 million contract extension prior to the 2019 season. But he announces his retirement before finishing the second year of that contract.
