No. 68 | |||||||||
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Position: | Defensive tackle | ||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||
Born: | Homestead, Florida | April 5, 1985||||||||
Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||
Weight: | 265 lb (120 kg) | ||||||||
Career information | |||||||||
High school: | Homestead (FL) | ||||||||
College: | Rutgers | ||||||||
Undrafted: | 2008 | ||||||||
Career history | |||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Player stats at NFL.com |
Eric Jerome Foster (born March 5, 1985) is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He went undrafted in the 2008 NFL Draft. Foster signed a contract with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent. He played college football for Rutgers University.
Foster was named All-Dade at linebacker 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.[ citation needed ]
After redshirting 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, [1] as well as fourth in total defense. [2]
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, [3] as well as making Honorable Mention on the AP's team. [4] 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.
After going undrafted, Foster was signed as a free agent 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 3, 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 missed the rest of the 2011-12 season. [5] The incident was compared to Joe Theismann's career-ending injury. [6]
On June 7, 2013, after sitting out the 2012 season, Foster was signed as a free agent by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League.
On August 17, 2013, Foster was signed by the Chicago Bears. [7] He was released on August 25. [8]
Justin Snow is a former American football long snapper who played in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Baylor University. He signed as an undrafted free agent in 2000 with the Indianapolis Colts, who he played twelve seasons with. Winning Super Bowl XLI with the Colts against the Chicago Bears is his biggest accomplishment.
Jeffrey Bryant Saturday is a former American football center and current sports analyst. He played college football at the University of North Carolina. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1998, but was cut by the team without playing a game. Saturday then signed with the Indianapolis Colts, with whom he played 13 seasons, won Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears and was selected to four All-Pro teams and five Pro Bowls. In his final NFL season, he made his sixth Pro Bowl as a member of the Green Bay Packers.
Gary Lawrence Brackett is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers, and signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Brackett played for the Colts for his entire 9-year career, and won Super Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears.
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Jerrell Alexander Freeman is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders under Pete Fredenburg and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL) in 2008. He then played three seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he led the league in tackles 2011. In 2012, he signed with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL, and spent two seasons with the Chicago Bears.
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Jamaal Akeem Westerman is a former American football defensive lineman who is currently a college football coach for Rutgers. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Rutgers and was named to the Second–team All–Big East team two times. Westerman played high school football in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, at St. Thomas Aquinas High School before moving to Brampton, Ontario and attending Notre Dame Secondary School.
Chad Spann is a former American football running back. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Northern Illinois University.
Nicolas Jean-Baptiste is a former American football nose tackle. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He played college football at Baylor.
Denico Autry is an American football defensive end for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He attended Albemarle High School in Albemarle, North Carolina and first enrolled at East Mississippi Community College. He then transferred to Mississippi State University, and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Raiders.
Tegray Rene Scales is an American football outside linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana.
Trevon Coley is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida Atlantic. He has previously played for the Washington Redskins, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, and New York Jets.
George Odum is an American football safety for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Central Arkansas. Odum signed with the Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2018, and in 2020 was named a First-team All-Pro after leading the league in special teams tackles.
Chris Williams is an American football defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wagner.
Sterling Weatherford is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2022 after playing college football at Miami (OH).