Former Tennessee Vol, Pittsburgh Steelers OL Ramon Foster Reacts to Dan Rooney Death
Pittsburgh Steelers guard Ramon Foster reacted to chairman Daniel Rooney’s death Thursday. The former Tennessee Volunteers football player tweeted about it.
Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, the son of founding owner Art Rooney, died on Thursday at 84 years old. His death prompted reactions from many players affiliated with the franchise. one of those was former Vols offensive lineman Ramon Foster.
Foster, who played for the Vols from 2005 to 2008, has been a leader for the Steelers over the past few years, now. He is a staple of their offensive line, a huge accomplishment given the fact that he was not drafted out of college.
Here’s what Foster tweeted about Rooney.
Sad day for anyone who's ever ran into Mr. Rooney. What a guy! He will truly be missed. He was the Steelers and Pittsburgh. 🙏🏾
— Ramon Foster (@RamonFoster) April 13, 2017
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 13, 2017
It’s hard to find somebody nowadays who has more devotion to the Steelers than Ramon Foster. The 6’5″ 328-pound lineman is not one to shy away from loyalty.
In 2008, he was very outspoken in defense of Phillip Fulmer after the university fired him.
That loyalty clearly translated to the NFL and the only organization he’s played for. So with all this, it’s clearly no surprise that he would miss Rooney.
Players clearly had a deep level of respect for Rooney. And the NFL will certainly miss him.
Rooney was a huge part of the NFL and an icon in the league for decades. One of his greatest accomplishments is his work in getting the league to implement the ‘Rooney Rule,’ which requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching positions.
Other former Vols also played for the Steelers, most notably Tee Martin. But it’s hard to find one who’s had a larger role with the organization than Foster.