Foote signs with Lions
May 6, 2009
According to reports, former Steelers linebacker Larry Foote has signed a one year contract with his hometown Detroit Lions. Terms of the deal have not been released.
“It’s like 90% done”, said Foote. Apparently, Foote and the Lions have agreed on the contract value. However, they are still working out final details of the payment schedule and the guaranteed portion of the deal.
Foote, who is from Detroit and played college football for the University of Michigan, asked the Steelers to release him so that he could sign with his hometown team.
Foote probably got a rude awakening when the Steelers got no trade offers for him. Then, to add insult to injury, the 0-16 Detroit Lions weren’t willing to offer him more than a 1 year deal. Ouch!
The lions are badly in need of linebacker help, and not many players are actually REQUESTING to play for the Lions like Foote did. You’d think the Lions would be excited about adding a veteran LB and Super Bowl champ to their pathetic roster. But I guess not.
Foote indicated that several other teams, including the Arizona Cardinals (what a surprise), Kansas City Chiefs, and Indianapolis Colts, were interested in acquiring his services. But ultimately, he decided to go home to Detroit.
So Larry will have to settle for a one year contract, and earn a longer deal. Kinda sucks, but that’s life in the NFL.
Good luck, Larry. You got what you wanted. I hope you can live with that.
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Larry that’s for the memories. All the best for you and your family.
regards
1Shawn Finegan
Ontario Canada
Larry, good luck to you and thanks for everything you did for us. Job well done.
2Good luck to Larry. It was great having him out there on D. I personally don’t blame him for just trying to get $$ at this point in his career – even if it happens to be with the worst team in the NFL. The guy has 2 SB rings when many players never even sniff the playoffs. He’s accomplished his competitive goals.
3Yes, best wishes Larry. But, that one year contract better be equivalent to or more than $2,885.000!!! Man, Detroit? That place is worse than Cleveland.
4No team offered a trade for him because the steelers would release him. Why offer money (or a draft pick) for a good player who you could hire for nothing in exchange? (only his salary).
5Also, I heard that the lions have like 13 LBs, so I guess that’s why they didn’t want to offer him a job… but they couldn’t let this opportunity pass them by. Best of luck to Larry Foote and we’ll see him when the steelers play the lions.
I still find it very interesting that there weren’t more teams publicly expressing interest in him even after he’d been cut. He may not have been a Pro Bowl LB but when was the last time he got ran over by a RB, missed a tackle, or just plain didn’t do what he was supposed to do. My other thought is if they knew that his days were numbered why wouldn’t we pick Rey Maualuga in the draft to at the very least repalce James Farrior who if I’m not mistaken is older than Larry Foote. Its actions like this that have given me a new outlook on the Steelers amd the moves they make with players. Since the scouts, coaches, trainers, et cetera see the players more than we do than I have to accept that they know what they are doing. And since we just won a Super Bowl that further strengthens my stance. But that also means I believe we should be win the Super Bowl aagin this year, that’s just my two cents.
6Good luck Larry!! Send us a postcard! Where is Detroit anyway???
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