One of a Kind

Arian Foster is on my fantasy football team The Red Messengers. Or rather, he was until he announced his retirement via UNINTERRUPTED. I can’t even be mad.

Foster’s career has beautifully illustrated how sports can provide “one-of-a-kind” players from unusual places. There are the obvious legends — MJ, Gretzky, or Manning — who easily come to mind when thinking of all-time athletes. And if you mention Arian Foster and many will acknowledge that he was good. But how many of us realize that he was Great? One of the running backs of his time.

Despite being plagued injuries throughout his career, he put up some remarkable numbers:

6,527 Rushing Yards, 4.4 Average, 54 Rushing Touchdowns, 255 Receptions, 2,346 Receiving Yards, 14 Receiving Touchdowns.

4x Pro Bowl (2010–2012, 2014), First-team All-Pro (2010), Second-team All-Pro (2011), 2x NFL rushing touchdowns leader (2010, 2012), NFL rushing yards leader (2010),

Second most touchdowns since 2009 behind Adrian Peterson

One of just 3 players in NFL history with at least 1,600 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards in the same season 2010

2010–2012 led all running backs in fantasy football points (an irony)

Arian Foster delivered these numbers with power and elegance. While most runners specialize in one or the other, Foster magically exemplified both.

Foster’s retirement is a reminder that every athlete we cheer for is not a number, but an individual. A person who relies on their body to make a living, and must know when they no longer can. A one of a kind player who contributes to their sport in a way that no one has before, nor will ever again.

While there are so few slots on the Mount Rushmore of each sport, there are many who play in our arenas and somewhat quietly contribute something truly special and Arian Foster did just that.