Panthers: DeShaun Foster deemed team’s unsung hero
The former Carolina Panthers running back certainly deserves the recognition…
Tuesday, Erik Lambert of NFL Mocks put together a slideshow ranking the greatest unsung heroes in the history of all National Football League Teams. As expected, the Carolina Panthers were represented on this list and for some, the nominee may not be who they would expect.
Former Carolina Panthers running back DeShaun Foster made the list for the Panthers. Although he did not set the world on fire in every season he played in, he put together a bunch of solid seasons. As Lambert wrote, he will always be remembered for certain stretches where he was as clutch as can be.
"Deshaun Foster didn’t have a long NFL career and that often serves to make him easier to forget, even by Carolina Panthers fans. That said the running back had a solid three-year run from 2005 to 2007 when he delivered three-straight seasons of over 1,000 yards from scrimmage. It may be his performance as a rookie though in 2003 that doesn’t get enough praise."
To be completely honest, I had forgotten about Foster. When I think of throwback running backs for the Carolina Panthers, Stephen Davis as the bulldozing back in NFL Blitz 2001 comes to mind (Nintendo 64 anyone?) Even still, despite being a Davis fan and showing my age with a Nintendo 64 reference, Foster deserves more than his fair share of praise.
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Drafted in the second round, No. 34 overall out of UCLA, Foster enjoyed a solid six-year career with the Carolina Panthers. He was part of the 2003 team that went to Super Bowl XXXVII, totaling 636 yards from scrimmage and 434 on the ground alone. His best season statistically came in 2005. Pounding the rock for 879 yards and two touchdowns, he truly had a career year.
In what was a stellar six-year career, Foster tallied 3,570 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
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I agree with Lambert. Foster was an unsung hero for the Carolina Panthers during the time that he was here. He did not put up huge numbers, but his toughness and “nose to the grindstone” style of play helped him become an unsung hero in many places where a player would crack under pressure.