HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. -- Looking back at life always gives off various emotions, depending on the type of memories you're seeking.
It can be about family, events, jobs or the best experiences that bring the fondest memories.
Playing in the NFL creates a lot of memories in a short amount of time. I'll be honest, I lived in the moment more than most. I always took advantage of the time I had, never thinking too much into the future and never dwelling on the past, either. Football really forced me into a mode of telling the truth. Good, bad or indifferent, I always was moving to the next thing.
Though my playing career is over, there's a lot from the NFL that will follow me moving forward. I'll do my best to suppress all the negative issues that can follow athletes once they're out of the game, so I can live a comfortable life. Football leads the charge in helping players with post-career issues, but I'd argue athletes in other sports have the same complications. They can be psychological, physical, emotional or financial, and the list goes on. Some deal with one or a few. Others deal with all of them.
Fans might think the money made while playing cures all those issues. It doesn't.
I don't like to talk about the financial side of the game because it waters down other things we deal with and the reasons why we play and love the sport. The saying goes: "The games are for free. I'm paid for my pains and practice and the separation from my family." It's the truth.
The first repercussion from not playing might be the physical one.
I'm doing cardio and trying to do as much as possible to protect my health. If you follow me on social media, such as Twitter, I'll randomly post my cardio logs from that day ...
[caption id="attachment_1006467" align="aligncenter" width="400"]
TWITTER[/caption]
... to hold myself accountable and maybe even challenge other former athletes to keep up or keep going. Nolan Harrison, Trai Essex, Alan Faneca and Spice Adams are a few of the former NFL players with whom I've compared workouts, and it's good to see those guys staying active, good to share what we're doing.
I keep dropping weight, which is amazing for my joints. And the better I feel about my progress and the progress of others, the better my overall quality of life should be.
My genetic makeup is different from other linemen such as Joe Thomas or Marshal Yanda. I never was a guy who had to eat a lot to keep my playing weight up. I'm more like guys such as Geoff Schwartz or Willie Colon. We know we have to work a little harder to keep off the pounds. I accept that challenge because life is as sweet as your health and well being. No amount of money can substitute the longevity of life if you don't take care of yourself. I even enjoy running, and Faneca challenged me on Twitter to take on the Steelers 5k Walk/Run:
I see you @RamonFoster Good for you, get after it now, before it gets after you. Sign up for the #SteelersRunWalk with me, all the motivation you can get is what got me thru. #HereWeGo @SteelersUnite @steelers https://t.co/0TVa99NigT
— Alan Faneca (@afan66) July 16, 2020
I'm looking forward to doing that.
The other major obstacle we face early after retiring is the mental and psychological side.
Since we handle so much within our playing careers, a lot of people think we should be able to handle everything outside of it. We're told that hitting a 300-pound man every play should translate to controlling every other aspect of a post-playing career. That's simply not true.
A lot of us start playing tackle football as early as 5 years old. There are golfers who take their first swing at 3 years old. Even for late bloomers who grow into being a professional athlete, making it to the top becomes your life. It drives everything you do for years. There's a rhythm, and not many things can change it.
In high school, I went from football to basketball to track, even though I hated track. But college is where a real work ethic is created as far as advancing your talents and getting to the next level. People on campus see you as little more than a jock. You wear team-issued gear. You get separate dorm rooms from other students. If you go to a Power 5 conference school -- such as Tennessee -- your importance to your school is on display for all to see. There are nationally televised games. A lot of people know you. In a sense, you become what you do.
For me, I eventually became Ramon Foster, No. 73 for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
But I always wanted and tried to be more than that.
[caption id="attachment_1006515" align="aligncenter" width="640"]
Ramon Foster works out at home last week in Hendersonville, Tenn.[/caption]
Once you leave the league, that identity is stripped. Your old number is given to a rookie or free agent, and, if you're not mentally wired right, the chase into the next season continues. That's an area where I've seen guys struggle. Figuring out an identity or purpose after playing can be confusing for some.
To me, mental stimulation is key. Conditions like CTE can create issues in dealing with simple tasks. It is my hope things are different for players of my era because of advances in equipment and better medical protocols for head injuries. There's no doubt how they are dealt with now is better than before. But knowing that guys who played through earlier eras, such as Mike Munchak and Keith Butler, are doing fine, that's comforting. I think being mentally challenged on multiple levels is key for that.
Some retire from playing but also retire from being mentally stimulated while living the same lifestyle as they did while playing in the league. Things like a good sleep schedule, proper hydration and enjoying life the right way need to remain priorities. In my next career, I will lean on my playing experience if needed, but I don't plan on doing one-on-ones against a high schooler in the back yard for fun.
So if you hear me say I did it for free on Sundays, I meant it.
There's a risk associated with playing football. There's a high price that some pay for decades after retiring. That's why it's so refreshing to see current players demand health standards before showing up for training camp during the COVID-19 pandemic. Players are smarter about their health and post-playing careers. We don't just want to be known as No. 73 from the roster.
It might be a harsh reality, but the truth helps you understand what goes into playing the game and what happens outside of it.
Otherwise, DK could just ask me to write about blocking assignments and deep passes.
To continue reading, log into your account:
