Clemson defensive end Justin Foster is retiring from football after contracting COVID-19.
The 2017 U. S. Army All-American contracted the virus in the summer of 2020 and was never able to fully recover and missed the entire year. Foster also battles asthma.
Foster said the following on social media on Thursday:
“Today is a difficult day for me,” he wrote on Twitter. “But it is also a day of reflection and gratitude. With sadness but no regret, I have decided it is in my best interest to call it a career and hang up football.
“I was born with asthma and allergies that, when active, affect my ability to breathe normally. The combination of those conditions, along with contracting COVID, made for a severe difficulty to perform. While my situation has improved, I am not in a position, nor do I see that position soon, to step back on the field. After consulting with multiple medical professionals, my focus is more so on recovering for the long term.”
-Justin Foster, Feb. 25, 2021
Foster played 39 games at Clemson with 13 starts, recording 66 tackles, 17.5 for loss, and making seven sacks. He was ranked as a four-star recruit in Clemson’s 2017 recruiting class.
Foster recorded four tackles and a sack in Clemson’s 2018 Cotton Bowl victory over Notre Dame.
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