Justin Foster details COVID battle, return to the game he loves

Foster has rekindled his love of the game.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Wed Aug 25 08:00:06 GMT-04:00 2021

CLEMSON – A few weeks ago, Justin Foster raced out of his stance and ran into an offensive lineman for his first football contact in well over a year. Once the play was over, Foster smiled to himself and realized he was once again playing the game he loves.

Foster missed all of the 2020 season while dealing with complications related to asthma and COVID-19. Once the season was over, he planned on giving up the game and finding his way in life outside of football. But the sport kept drawing him back, and this past spring he informed head coach Dabo Swinney that he wanted to return to the team and try to play in 2021.

It all started with getting up off the couch at home and moving.

“Just getting up and still trying to run, walk, do something,” Foster said. “Some days it was just like, I don’t want to do this, I’m just going to give up, and it’s just the fact of waking up. I knew I was getting better and just pushing myself each day.”

At first, he didn’t want to think about Clemson or football, but he worked over the summer as an intern with J. Davis Construction and that rekindled his love for his team.

“I did leave here and I didn't want to be around football. I didn't want to be in Clemson,” Foster said. “I didn't want to be around anything because of the situation and everything I was going through. It was a big relief when I came back in the building and working on the internship. I was here in the offseason and summer every day from 8 to 8 and it was good. Just being around everybody and talking to everybody, I think it really helped me.”

Starting to play again wasn’t always easy.

“There were weeks where I felt really good and I felt like I could go out there,” Foster said. “But we were doing three or four days, and then all of a sudden I would have an asthma attack. And most of the time when I did have a problem, it would set me back three or four days. … So, I was very limited when I did have problems. Sometimes I wasn’t even coming to team meetings or even coming here, I just stayed at home and just rested.

“When I first got back, after practice I would wheeze really bad. Then I had a hard time recovering. But now I don't have a hard time breathing and I don't have to grab the inhaler. I get in and I am not wheezing or anything like that. I feel good. I can go through my normal activities without any problems. I feel like I am in the best shape I've been in since I've been here. I feel good. At the end of the day, the main thing was time. They gave me inhalers and everything like that, but the main thing was time and (being) patient.”

He knew he was back when he was allowed to hit someone.

“I would say the first day we put on pads. I hadn't hit anyone in a really long time,” Foster said. “It was just that feeling of hitting someone and just playing ball. We had our pads on and it was the first day of contact and we were doing the W drill and things like that, and that was just a big relief just to know that I could do it. I’ve had ups and downs, but no matter what, just kept on pushing. I feel 100 percent now. I don’t really have any problems. … So, I feel really good.”

Prior to missing the 2020 season, Foster recorded 66 career tackles (17.5 for loss), 7.0 sacks, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery over 39 career games with 13 starts from 2017-19. In his first season as a starter in 2019, he earned an honorable mention All-ACC selection in addition to garnering All-ACC Academic honors.