Arian Foster 'doing great' in recovery from torn Achilles, 'passionate' about comeback

The last time that Arian Foster played in a football game, the four-time Pro Bowl running back ruptured his Achilles tendon during an October loss to the Miami Dolphins.

Now, the former Texans star is preparing diligently for his next football game. Working toward a comeback and contemplating his options as NFL teams check on his progress, Foster is training twice a day at IX Innovations, an elite fitness and training facility in Southwest Houston.

"Arian's doing great," said Abdul Foster, the NFL running back's older brother, trainer and the owner of IX Innovations. "When you go through stuff like this, you say, 'Okay, I'm financially set. I don't need to do this to take care of my family, but, at the end of the day, do I still love this game? Is there still a passion for me?' The reason I'm excited is because Arian is still passionate about football.

"That's always a question when money is involved and you've made your mark in the league. Do you still have a desire to play in the league. Arian still does, which is exciting to me. The good part is he's motivated. He's definitely putting in the work here."

Released earlier this month by the Texans after seven seasons, Foster was entering the fifth year of a $43.5 million contract and had an $8.925 million salary-cap figure and was scheduled for a $6.5 million nonguaranteed base salary.

Foster was cleared to resume jogging in January and has made significant progress in his recovery.

Foster is overcoming his wariness about traditional rehabilitation approaches and doctors.

"I will say the majority of Arian's issues have come from the ability to kind of believe in doctors," Abdul Foster said. "Arian has had some bad instances with doctors. He has kind of leaned away from that. I kind of view guys like him like a Ferrari. They need constant maintenance on their bodies. The extreme injuries Arian has had, we've tried to get him to do basic recovery, ice, getting on a table to be worked on. Arian has kind of shied away from that because he's had some bad experiences with doctors.

"Over the years of constant collisions on the field, play after play, day after day, it wears on the body. If you don't do anything to repair it, I think you're going to have some issues. A lot of the injuries Arian has seen and witness over the years are a result of him not doing the kind of recovery he needed. His pain tolerance is unreal. He played the entire 2010 season with a broken collarbone. This go-round, he's bought into the program we've put him on. He's doing the proper maintenance he needed to do on his body. He's doing good. I'm pretty excited to see what happens with him this go-round."

Foster was limited to four games last season after undergoing groin surgery in August before hurting his Achilles in October, gaining just 163 yards and scoring one touchdown with 22 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns. He was just starting to regain his old form when he injured his Achilles against the Dolphins. Foster is the Texans' all-time rushing leader with 6,472 yards and 54 touchdowns.

Foster is likely to take his time and be selective about picking his next team. Among his expected criteria beyond his role, offensive scheme and compensation are whether the team has the capability to contend for a Super Bowl.

Foster, 29, will celebrate his 30th birthday in August. He's played in 25 games over the past three seasons.

Houston Texas' Arian Foster steps over a seam in the turf as he leaves the field after a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider) Houston Texas' Arian Foster steps over a seam in the turf as he leaves the field after a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Patric Schneider) Photo: Patric Schneider, FRE Photo: Patric Schneider, FRE Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Arian Foster 'doing great' in recovery from torn Achilles, 'passionate' about comeback 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

When healthy, Foster has been extremely productive. In 2014, he played in all but three games and rushed for 1,245 yards and eight touchdowns as he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. He caught 38 passes that season for 327 yards and five touchdowns.

The two times that Foster has played in all 16 games, he's rushed for 1,424 yards in 2012 and 1,616 yards in 2010.

"The bad part is Arian's had a string of injuries, the good part is he doesn't have as much wear and tear and carries and games that a seven-year vet would normally have," Abdul Foster said. "He's still young. The good part about Arian and what makes him an every-down back is he's sharp and one of the reasons he was one of the Texans' prize possessions. He understands the game.

"Arian's definitely in the position to make a right decision for himself. I think it's good. He will find a way to rejuvenate himself in football."

aaron.wilson@chron.com

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