Will Foster (American football)

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Will Foster
No. 55
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1948-10-02) October 2, 1948 (age 75)
Grady, Alabama, U.S.
Career information
College:Eastern Michigan University
NFL draft:1972 / Round: 7 / Pick: 170
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career NFL statistics
Touchdowns:
1
Fumble recoveries:2
Player stats at PFR

William Henry Foster (born October 2, 1948) is a former American football linebacker who played for the New England Patriots.

College career

Foster played college football at Eastern Michigan University.[1] In 1970 he was named to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics District 23 All-Star football team as a defensive end.[2]

Professional career

1972

Foster was drafted by the

1972 NFL Draft with the 170 overall selection.[1] He competed in training camp with three others – fellow rookie Bill Overmyer and veterans Ike Kelley and Bill Cody – to replace Tim Rossovich, who was holding out and was eventually traded, to be the Eagles' middle linebacker after Steve Zabel was injured in training camp.[3][4] He was cut by the Eagles shortly before the 1972 regular season began.[5]

1973

The Patriots signed Foster in May 1973.

blocked punt.[12][13] Foster then injured his knee in a game against the Green Bay Packers on November 18 and required surgery and had to miss the remainder of the season.[14][15]

1974

In 1974 Foster was supposed to compete with Chandler for a starting linebacker job with the Patriots, but 15th round draft pick

Boston Globe writer Leigh Montville picked the Rams to win, Foster burned a newspaper with Montville's picks in the Patriots' locker room saying "Get out of here all you guys who picked the Rams. The Rams, the Rams, the Rams. We're sick of hearing about the Rams.We want to hear about the Patriots.[18] In late October, Foster was unhappy enough to walk out on the Patriots and he missed their October 27 game against the Minnesota Vikings.[12][17] He returned to the team a few days later, with Fairbanks saying:

I didn't ask him why he left. I only asked him if he wanted to play football. He said he did. Right now I'm interested in the future, not the past. The injury to [Bob] Windsor leaves a spot open on our roster so we could put Foster on if we want to.[19]

Foster also missed the Patriots' November 10 game against the Cleveland Browns with the flu, but played in all the rest of the Patriots' games in 1974.[12][20] The Patriots waived him after the season.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b "Will Foster". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  2. ^ "District NAIA eleven announced". Battle Creek Enquirer. November 27, 1970. p. B-3. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Mental Pressure Impresses Overmyer in pro grid bid". News-Messenger. August 3, 1972. p. 19. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Shefski, Bill (August 29, 1972). "Bengals leave Eagles with empty feeling". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 68. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Woodeshick, Nance among Eagles' cuts". Standard-Speaker. September 12, 1972. p. 26. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Transactions". Boston Globe. May 24, 1973. p. 82. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Monahan, Bob (August 14, 1972). "It's early yet, says Fairbanks of costly Patriots' mistakes". Boston Globe. p. 27. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Transactions". Boston Globe. p. 60. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Montville, Leigh (September 24, 1973). "Patriots can't find right key". Boston Globe. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Harber, Paul (September 24, 1973). "Dawson leads Chiefs past Patriots". Concord Monitor. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Montville, Leigh (September 24, 1973). "Dawson to Taylor—and old story, but still a good one". Boston Globe. p. 22. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ a b c "Will Foster Game Logs". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  13. ^ Rowe, Bob (October 15, 1973). "Jets' plan was perfect". The Record. p. 23. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  14. ^ O'Hara, Dave (November 19, 1973). "NE Patriots jolt Green Bay, 32-24". Lewiston Daily Sun. p. 31. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "Patriots get new linebacker". Cincinnati Post. November 22, 1973. p. 62. Retrieved 2022-08-30 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Montville, Leigh (September 29, 1974). "Patriots winning by stopping the run". Boston Globe. p. 66. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b McDonough, Will (October 26, 1974). "'Unhappy' Foster walks out of Patriots' camp". Boston Globe. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Montville, Leigh (September 30, 1974). "OK, you Pats, I do believe". Boston Globe. p. 21. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ^ McDonough, Will (October 29, 1974). "25 Patriots banged up, but Bills hurting, too". Boston Globe. p. 26. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
  20. ^ McDonough, Will (November 13, 1974). "Rozelle rejects plea by Sullivan". Boston Globe. p. 63. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Patriots cut six". Greenfield Recorder. April 18, 1975. p. 15. Retrieved 2022-08-31 – via newspapers.com.
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