Arian Foster rushed for over 6,000 yards in his eight year NFL career and made the Pro Bowl four times. But to get to those accomplishments, Foster had to endure hundreds of hits that would leave us regular folks in a hospital bed. It should come as no surprise then, that despite the NFL’s strict cannabis ban, Foster smoked marijuana to help recover from a season-ending back injury in 2013.
Foster stopped by Viceland’s talk show “Desus & Mero” this week to talk to the stoner hosts about life as a 30-year old retiree, whether or not he’d consider moving to NYC and of course, cannabis use in the NFL. When asked in hand signals and winking gestures if weed was part of his recovery regiment, Foster didn’t shy away.
“(Cannabis) is definitely part of it.” Foster told the excited hosts. “I had a back surgery and I couldn’t take the meds because I’d throw up and if I did, I would re-slip my back and I was in pain, so my pops, he’s from LA and he went to a dispensary and got me some weed.”
He followed his personal story with a call for the NFL to legalize cannabis use.
The Houston Texan’s all-time leading rusher is just another in a steady stream of retired pro football players who’ve come out in favor of cannabis in the NFL. Just last week hall of famer Franco Harris voiced his public support for Pennsylvania’s newly minted medical marijuana program.
Foster wasn’t even the first NFl player to go on “Desus & Mero” to tell the world that football needs weed. Jared Odrick, a current free agent who played last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars went on the Viceland talk show last month and ended his interview with the statement “CBD for CTE” – referring to the concussion epidemic in the NFL and a healing cannabis oil that’s been known to help.
As the NFL takes a closer look at their policies concerning medical marijuana, it’s becoming increasingly clear where the players stand.
