Ramon Foster joined Adam Crowley on Steelers Nation Radio earlier this week to talk about his new contract with Pittsburgh as well as his hopes for the team in 2016, and the development of the Steelers offensive line.
As a refresher, Foster was signed to the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He would then go on to be a starter for the black and gold for the next six years leading up to this offseason when he signed a 3-year, 9.6 million dollar contract in March. Foster says it wasn’t so much about the dollar signs, but more about staying with a unit that he feels has a shot at a championship.
“It’s not just the money thing, it’s the pursuit to win a championship. That’s what this whole journey is about, getting that 7th ring, bringing it to the city. And just the guys I work with here are just A-1. I don’t think you can find a better bunch from top to bottom anywhere…With the line that we have, it’d be a shame to not be able to hoist that Lombardi trophy.”
At age, 30, Foster is one of the most tenured veterans along the offensive line, second only to recent free agent addition Ryan Harris. He believes that the experience on the line will only give them more fuel heading into 2016.
“We’re a group of guys, you know if you look at it now starting with myself, that grew up the hard way, you know? We were kind of thrown into it. Maurkice (Pouncey) came after me and then you had Marcus (Gilbert) and Dave (DeCastro) and Mike (Adams) and just everybody else that was behind it. You know, we have who we have now, and now Al’s (Villanueva) the new guy…”
Villanueva, as Foster mentioned, is now the young talent amongst this unit. And all of those players he mentioned, besides tackle Mike Adams, will be back in Pittsburgh next year. But perhaps the most anticipated return on the offensive line is center Maurice Pouncey, who missed all of last season following two surgeries on his left fibula. Foster weighed in on the return of Pouncey, and says the all-pro center is an invaluable asset to the team.
“Everybody’s excited…Maurkice is one of those special guys that come along once every 10 years and he’s chomping at the bit to really get it going.”
But it’s more than just the offensive line that has Foster excited. He feels the entire team is at a point where they are ready to make a serious run at a championship, or maybe even a few.
“The offensive side, the defensive side, the special teams side gets it now. The players are in place and it would be a shame if we didn’t, you know, solidify our legacy with that ring. We have some of the best talent I think we’ve had here in years. And the thing that the older Steelers have against us right now, have over us, is they have rings. And we have yet to do that, and what a better year than right now?”
Indeed.
