Arian Foster is one of the most successful NFL running backs of the last few years. But as far as being a fan goes, he couldn't be less enamored with the game.
Foster, who is likely to become a free agent when the Texans release him later this offseason, doesn't deny that he was a huge football fan as a kid. But as the harsh realities of the game have become apparent to him, he finds himself leaning away from the game -- especially when he isn't on the football field.
Speaking on the "I Am Rapaport" podcast, Foster described his transition from a devoted fan who would rather not watch.
"I watch zero football. I swear," Foster says. "Of course, I used to be a super fan growing up. Once you see the business side, you see it differently. I'm pondering entering the last couple, 3-4 years of my career and I'm thinking about what life will be like after football and I'm looking at the game differently.
"I look at it more like, 'I hope these guys come out healthy because they've got families.' It's not just entertainment to me any more."
Foster may be one of the NFL's more interesting voices. He majored in philosophy at the University of Tennessee and hasn't been shy about his atheism. But what he struggles with now is the violence of the game and what it means for other players, including himself.
"I see the men and the humans behind [the football game]," he says. "It's a vantage point that not a lot of people get to see. I still do enjoy the game. I love it, but it's just hard for me to watch it from a fan perspective."
Foster sounds like a guy who doesn't want to kill himself on the football field. If he is released by the Texans, it will be interesting to see what career choice he makes. In either case, he sounds like he's already got one foot out the door.