Steelers' former starter has a chance to overturn the NFL's wrongdoing regarding controversial hit
Ramon Foster was a part of one the best offensive lines in the league during the 2010s. Serving as a starting guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the height of the Killer B Era, Foster knows pressure situations. And while his playing days are over, his time in the NFL isn't, and he faces one […]
![Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides for a down as Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) makes a late hit during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]](https://atozsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/79915-usatsi_24887217.jpg)
Ramon Foster was a part of one the best offensive lines in the league during the 2010s.
Serving as a starting guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the height of the Killer B Era, Foster knows pressure situations.
And while his playing days are over, his time in the NFL isn't, and he faces one of the biggest decisions of his career:
Ramon Foster named hearing officer in Azeez Al-Shaair Suspension Appeal
Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair’s appeal of his three-game suspension will be heard today by Ramon Foster, hearing officer jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA.
– Tom Pelissero, NFL Media via X-Twitter
Now, there are plenty of people who want to throw Houston Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair under the jail for his hit on Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence. And before I go any further I want to make it clear that the hit has no place in football, and you never want to see someone get injured the way Lawrence did, as he has now been placed on I.R.
But let's make something abundantly clear, not only is the game of football inherently physical, but Trevor Lawrence and a littany of other QBs try and toe the line way too much when it comes to how late they slide.
Don't take my word for it, listen to 7x Super Bowl champion Tom Brady:
But the whole reason that Roman Foster is a part of this debacle is that the NFL decided to throw an unprecedented three-game suspension at Azeez Al-Shaair for the hit, which he is appealing and Foister will be overseeing.
To make matters worse, however, the NFL and Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan put out a defamatory letter that attacked Al-Shaair as a player and as a person:
"Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL," Runyan wrote in a letter to Al-Shaair. "Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”
Both HC Demeco Ryans and GM Nick Caserio defended their team captain, clapping back against Runyan and the NFL's decision in an effort to defend the person and character of Al-Shaair:
So we'll have to wait and see what the former Steelers starter decides to do in this situation, but there's clearly one right decision in this scenario, and it starts and ends with approving Al-Shaair's appeal.
