HOUSTON – The Houston Texans have signed All-Pro RB Arian Foster to a long-term contract, it was announced today. Terms of the contract were not disclosed.
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2010, Foster has led the NFL in rushing yards per game (97.9), rushing touchdowns (26), scrimmage yards (4,061), scrimmage yards per game (140.0) and touchdowns from scrimmage (30). He also leads all NFL running backs in that time with 42.1 yards per game receiving and 10 receptions of 25 yards or longer, including a pair of 78-yard touchdown receptions in 2011.
Foster's rise from an undrafted college free agent out of Tennessee in 2009 to an All-Pro running back and two-time Pro Bowler is well-documented. He began his rookie season on the Texans' practice squad, was signed to the active roster on Nov. 17, 2009, and made his first career start in the 2009 season finale against New England.
Foster entered the 2010 season as the Texans' starting running back and set an NFL record for rushing yards by an undrafted player. He led the NFL and set a Texans record with 1,616 yards rushing, earned All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, became the third player in NFL history to have at least 1,600 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards in a season and set a team record with an NFL-best 18 total touchdowns.
The follow-up to his breakout season was equally impressive despite a nagging hamstring injury that caused him to miss the first two-and-a-half games of 2011. He averaged an NFL-best 141.6 yards from scrimmage, ran for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns, and caught 53 passes for 617 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the fifth time in NFL history a player had at least 1,000 yards rushing and 600 yards receiving in consecutive seasons. Foster excelled in the postseason as well, totaling 285 yards and three touchdowns rushing on 51 carries, the most yards ever in a player's first two career playoff games.
Foster will enter the 2012 season ranked second in Texans franchise history with 3,097 rushing yards and needs 99 yards rushing to become the franchise's all-time leader. He has also set single-game franchise records for rushing attempts (33) and rushing yards (231), and also tied a record with three total touchdowns on two occasions.
