Two Days After Signing With Bengals, Foster Quits
Two days after signing a $1 million contract, Barry Foster changed his mind and left the Cincinnati Bengals.
The former Pittsburgh running back surprised the Bengals by quitting and leaving town Thursday. Foster, 26, out of football since the Carolina Panthers released him before the season began, said he felt like “a 60-year-old running back” after his first workout on Wednesday.
He told Bengals coach Dave Shula on Thursday that he had lost his desire to play. He returned his reported $300,000 signing bonus to the Bengals, checked out of his hotel room and departed.
“He told Dave he had changed his mind, that he’d decided football was over for him,” said Bengals president Mike Brown, Foster’s biggest booster on the team. “From our standpoint, it’s disappointing to work through something like this and then have it end so abruptly.”
Hall of Fame nominees
Mike Webster and Ozzie Newsome were among 12 players nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Other firsttime nominees were quarterback Tommy Kramer; former Seattle Seahawks running back Curt Warner; wide receivers Stanley Morgan, Mike Quick and J.T. Smith; defensive linemen Al “Bubba” Baker and Dan Hampton; linebacker Fredd Young; and defensive backs LeRoy Irvin and Eric Wright. Former Washington coach Joe Gibbs and Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson also were nominated.
QB or not QB
Benched Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham said that he might see some action in Sunday’s game against the Rams at a different position. Asked what his role would be, Cunningham replied, “backup quarterback and specialty player, like Deion Sanders.”
Around the league
The $4,000 fine levied against Broncos linebacker Dave Wyman for hitting Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler was increased to $12,000. NFL officials reviewed the tape after Hostetler, who missed a game and a half after getting hit in the throat, complained to the league office. Broncos receivers Mike Pritchard and Anthony Miller and Raiders cornerback James Trapp were fined $5,000 each for a separate brawl… . The Steelers made a move to improve their oft-beaten secondary, officially moving Pro Bowl strong safety Carnell Lake to cornerback and benching six-year veteran Alvoid Mays. Myron Bell replaces Lake at safety.