There is absolutely nothing wrong with an athlete exuding confidence, which is often one of those intangibles that separate the great ones from the bad ones.
For running back Arian Foster of the Houston Texans, the confidence he currently shows has more to do with personal growth that it does with anything he is currently able to do on the field.
Foster is currently sidelined with a groin injury sustained at the beginning of training camp. The injury required surgery and initial reports had him returning perhaps around week 6. Recent reports show he is recovery quicker than previously expected, which makes the possibility of returning a couple of weeks sooner realistic.
From Foster’s perspective, this latest injury is really nothing but a bump in the road. In an interview conducted last week with reporters, Foster stated “I think this is going to be my best year and I still feel like it will be,” later adding “It’s going to be tough because I’m going to have some ground to make up, but I was feeling the best, feeling the quickest that I felt. You can judge for yourself.”
Considering some of his accomplishments throughout the years, this would be considered a bold statement, bordering on unrealistic. However, it shows a lot of personal growth for Foster who has suffered several serious injuries and often shows his frustration on the field. The “new” Arian Foster seems to be resolved with his place in life and more than willing to take everything in stride.
It’s this change in attitude that makes one think he might still have some great football left in him. After an injury shortened his 2013 season, Foster bounced back in 2014 with 1,246 yards rushing, 327 yards receiving, and a total of 13 TDs. Not bad at all considering he missed 3 games due to minor injuries.
After such a strong season, both Head Coach Bill O’Brien and Houston fans were looking for a huge 2015 season out of their star back. Unfortunately, everyone is going to have to wait until his body says it’s time to get back on the field.
In the meantime, the Texans will be looking to bounce back off of a disappointing season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, a game they lost 27-20 at home. This week, they hit the road and play against the Carolina Panthers who are coming off a road win against the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars.
The reality is that Foster has shown a knack for surprising people throughout his career. He played his college ball at Tennessee where he had more than his fair share of issues that included being arrested for disorderly conduct and underage consumption towards the end of a frustrating sophomore season.
However, he bounced back in his junior year with 1,193 yards rushing and 12 TDs. After being told he would probably go in the 2nd round if he opted for the draft, he decided to return for his senior year. After a mediocre year due to nagging injuries and never finding his place in a new offensive scheme, Foster was passed by in the 2009 draft.
In his second year in the NFL after being signed as an undrafted free agent, Foster showed hundreds of scouts and GMs just how wrong they were about him when he rushed for 1,616 yards and 16 TDs, claiming the rushing title and earning a Pro Bowl invitation. This was a clear indication that underestimating this man is a bad idea.
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This article was written by sports writer, analyst and enthusiast Tony Samboras. As a lifelong fan of football, Tony is always following the latest news and events surrounding his favorite players and his work can be found online at Australian based freebookmakersbetsandbonuses.com.au.