Before he became perhaps the most hated man in Houston in 2024, Ramon Foster played football for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He was a broadcaster and sideline reporter for an NFL team
He was a part of a three-person crew on the morning drive radio show in Nashville.
But the people of Houston don’t care about his accolades of accomplishments. They care about his direct call which now affects the Texans’ regular season.
Veteran linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair pleaded his case in a virtual hearing Wednesday with Foster to appeal his three-game suspension for an illegal hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. By 6 p.m., it had reached muted ears.
Ramon Foster is the hearing officer in today’s appeal hearing for the three-game suspension of Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair.
Foster was jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 4, 2024
Foster and the NFL denied the appeal, upholding the suspension and keeping Al-Shaair away from the team until Week 18’s season finale against the Tennessee Titans.
Al-Shaair, who signed a three-year deal this offseason after a breakout season with the Titans in 2023, issued an apology to Lawrence on social media Monday following his ejection from the game, stating he had no intent to harm the quarterback and didn’t see the slide until it was too late.
Foster, who was one of four members of the NFLPA, wasn’t swayed by the appeal, thus choosing to uphold the current three-game ban.
According to The Houston Chronicle, the suspension will cost Al-Shaair all but one of the Texans’ remaining regular-season games, as well as $112,745 in per-game roster bonuses for each game missed.
Here’s a look back at Foster’s career and his involvement in the NFL post-playing days.
Ramon Foster’s playing career
A former teammate of Texans legendary running back Arian Foster at the University of Tennessee, Ramon Foster was not selected in the 2009 NFL draft and signed with the Steelers as a free agent. Initially a backup, the eventual anchor of the offensive line became the team’s starting guard in 2011 and rarely missed action up until he retired following the 2019 season.
In 11 seasons with Pittsburgh, Foster played in 160 regular-season games, including 11 playoff games and Super Bowl XLV against Green Bay.
Ramon Foster, notoriously clean player. https://t.co/gVkd0N4yvb pic.twitter.com/8Zm1dQN1nO
— Patrick Storm (@PatrickStormHTX) December 4, 2024
While known for his run blocking, Foster also was considered a physical player by the league’s office. He was fined four times during his career, including once for an unnecessary roughness call that mirrored Al-Shaair’s hit.
He was flagged twice for on-field fighting, though he was never suspended for his actions.
Ramon Foster’s work with the NFL
Foster was added to the pool of appeals officers this season after the NFL and NFLPA expanded the group from two to four to expedite the appellate process following starting in 2020. He’s a member alongside former linebacker Derrick Brooks, wide receiver Jordy Nelson and former Kevin Mawae.
Foster also is a member of the Titans broadcast team, serving as the sideline reporter for home games starting in 2023. He worked alongside Al-Shaair last season both during and in postgame interviews.
While working for the Titans, Foster also hosts a weekday morning show on 104.5 FM The Zone in Nashville, the radio home of the AFC South rival.
Texans 2024 Schedule
The Texans, who are on a bye in Week 14, will return to take on the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 15. Houston will then take on the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens within five days of each other starting on Dec. 21.
Houston closes out the regular season on the road against the Titans at Nissan Stadium in Jan. 5.
