Bob McNair isn’t beating around the bush.
The Houston Texans owner lost his star running back — again — when Arian Foster injured his groin earlier in the week. Foster reportedly will undergo surgery Friday and likely will miss the beginning of the regular season.
Injuries are nothing new for Foster, who has missed at least three games in three of the last four seasons. So when asked Thursday about the Pro Bowler’s propensity for getting hurt, McNair responded with blunt honesty.
“I’ve recognized how vulnerable he is,” McNair told reporters, via the Houston Chronicle. “I can’t say that I’m that surprised. It seems like every year he’s had some type of soft tissue injury. We just keep our fingers crossed and hope it won’t happen, but he seems to be vulnerable to that type of thing.”
McNair certainly isn’t wrong, but that doesn’t exactly sound like a vote of confidence for the 28-year-old running back. The owner did end his comments on a positive note, though.
“I do think he can come back, but it’s going to take him a little while,” he added. “In the past, he’s always been able to overcome it, and I think he will this time, too.”
Foster is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $43.5 million contract, so it will be interesting to see if the Texans feel he’s worth keeping around after 2016.
In the meantime, Houston has been scrambling for a replacement to help out backup Alfred Blue. The team has worked out several running backs — including former New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas — but have yet to make any official moves.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
