If you need a guy to have your back, look no further than Pittsburgh Steelers guard Ramon Foster.

On May 9, 2016, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Foster to a three-year, $9.60 million contract with a signing bonus $2.75 million. The “Ironman” started all 16 regular season games and surrendered only one sack throughout the season. Foster also continued his streak of consecutive starts to 46 in-a-row.

Foster is not only consistently reliable but also consistently good. Pro Football Focus (PFF) ranked him the 24th best offensive lineman in the NFL. He was also ranked the sixth-best guard with an overall grade of 87.1 by PFF and the fourth-best in pass-blocking with a grade of 89.7.

However, it’s been a long path to get to where Ramon is today. He initially signed with the Steelers in 2009, after going undrafted out of Tennessee. Over a period spanning from 2009-2012, Foster would compete for playing time at guard with a number of players who have since left the team, such as Kraig Urbik, Darnell Stapleton, Chris Scott and Chris Kemoeatu. Foster would finally earn a starting position when rookie guard David DeCastro was hurt during the 2012 preseason. He would then move

Following two solid, consistent seasons with the Steelers, Foster would sign a new three-year deal in 2013, totaling $5.50 million that also included a $900,000 signing bonus. He would take over the left guard position vacated when Willie Colon departed in free agency to the Jets.

Foster only continued to get better. In 2014 and 2015, he was awarded an 82.3 grade from PFF for 35 games (he sat out two from a minor ankle sprain injured in practice in 2014). Heading into the 2016 league year, many speculated as to whether Foster would re-sign with the Steelers, but those rumors were put to rest when Pittsburgh signed him to the three-year contract mentioned above. He was awarded for his consistency, continued growth, and flexibility at his position.

It was a good deal for the Steelers too. In my opinion, last season was his best season.

Ramon started all 16 regular season games and surrendered only one sack throughout the entire season. He continued his consecutive starts streak to 46 games in-a-row. PFF once again gave him high praise, ranking Foster the 24th-best offensive lineman in 2016. He was also ranked the sixth-best guard with an overall grade of 87.1 and the fourth-best pass blocker with a grade of 89.7.His numbers are only going up. But his skills as a leader on the field is what impressed me most. What comes to mind is the game Dec 4th, 2016 vs the New York Giants. They were coming off a 6 game winning streak and we were the Fox America’s game of the week, with a 6-5 record, but a 2 game winning streak going.

His numbers continue to go up, but his skills as a leader on the field is what impressed me most. What comes to mind is the December 4th game against the New York Giants. New York was coming off a six-game winning streak, as the Steelers rebounded from a 4-5 start to a two-game winning streak of their own, and a 6-5 record heading into Fox America’s “game of the week”.

Late in the 4th quarter of that game, Le’Veon Bell was twisted, tackled, and had his neck turned around by several Giant defenders. New York’s Kelvin Sheppard was the most blatant, in what Ramon later called “dirty tackling” Bell.

Foster saw this and lifted Sheppard off the pile like a rag doll. He almost kicked him to the side too.

The broadcast announcers Troy Aikman and Joe Buck agreed, “I can see why Foster did that, he had every right to protect his running back”.

Foster was eventually fined for the act, even though no flag was thrown on the play. Foster, quoted later on a call in to the Jim Rome radio show, said:

“Certain stuff just can’t be tolerated…Teams will know that won’t be tolerated. For one thing, it is player safety and livelihood. The play was blown dead. It was over. You can’t do that.”

That leadership can’t be taught: it’s an instinct you’re born with. I’m sure players such as Bell, Roethlisberger, and other teammates a happy to have a player with those traits on their side.

In addition, Foster has made a silent name for himself among some of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. Not just as a player on the field but off of it as well. As the Steelers representative for the NFLPA, Ramon is the “go-to guy” for any questions rookies, or even vets, have about the business of professional football. He is also well established in the Pittsburgh community, often spotted at various fundraising events, and he always helps out Ben Roethlisberger with his football camp for kids in the summer.

His weekly radio show in Pittsburgh is incredibly popular, and as an extension of that program, Foster has started his own podcast. It’s pretty amazing all the things that Ramon Foster brings to the table. He will be a favorite, of mine and Steelers fans alike, for years to come.

As the longest-tenured offensive player next to Ben Roethlisberger, we also know Ramon Foster has everyone’s back. He is the embodiment of the team’s motto “The Standard is the Standard”. It starts and ends with the Steelers organization, and Foster lives up to that every day: on and off of the field.