All-Time Houston Texans rushing leader Arian Foster retired from the NFL on Monday, October 24.

The four-time Pro Bowler announced his exit in an open letter published by Lebron James' UNINTERRUPTED platform. "Faceless gladiators have been shuffled in and out of this arena for decades and I'm proud to have taken part in that legacy. My father always said, 'You'll know when it's time to walk away.' It has never been more clear than right now. I'm walking away with peace," he wrote.

Foster came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2009. After being cut, then re-signed to the team, he was given a spot on special teams and scored his first touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in December of that year. Seven seasons later he steps away as a member of the Miami Dolphins organization, after an injury plagued career that saw him become arguably the best running back in the league at one point in his career. During his first full season [2010], Foster led the entire league with 1,616 rushing yards. It was one of six major categories he came out on top in, having outdone all other running backs in yards average, yards per game, touchdowns and receptions as well. In the following year he would dominate all running backs in the receiving categories, and he'd finish his 2012 campaign with his second touchdown title. Foster would complete his career in Houston as their most prolific running back.

With the 2016 season would come a fresh start. Foster spent much of the 2015 season hindered by injuries, and his time as a starter was short-lived in Miami after he injured his groin in September. Jay Ajayi, who had shown promise as Lamar Miller's backup in 2015, went through fits when he realized that the Miami coaching staff was committed to giving Foster the ball coming into the season, and was benched for his attitude early on. But since Foster's injury, he has carried the team, becoming only the fourth NFL running back to ever gain 200 rushing yards in back to back games with Sunday's historic performance [28 carries, 214 yards, 1 TD].

Although the majority of football fans would vie that Foster's still got some game left in him, he leaves the ball to the Dolphins' young running back corp in full confidence that they will satisfy the teams needs at back. And he leaves having accomplished more than he had ever set out to, writing, "Every athlete would love to go out as a Super Bowl MVP, riding off into the sunset with the crowd cheering their name. Unfortunately, life has other plans and they're usually opposite the imagination. But that imagination got me this far and I could not be prouder of the things my teammates and I accomplished in this game."

Source: twitter.com