In a radio interview on The Dan LeBatard Show yesterday, Arian Foster claimed he received $40,000-$50,000 from boosters during his playing days at Tennessee from 2004-2008.
From an article by Dustin Dopirak:
“You have people help you out here and there,” Foster said Thursday on the Dan LeBatard show. “Boosters and alumni and ex-players, they all know how it is, man. It’s hard living check to check when you don’t have enough money to go out to the movies or any kind of leisure activity. And you’re not allowed to get a job. Especially when I was in college, they were a lot more stringent on those rules, so at any given chance I got the opportunity, I took a free handout. Absolutely.”
LeBatard pushed Foster for an exact dollar figure. Foster guessed that it was “40, 50 grand throughout my entire career.”
On Twitter, Foster later backtracked about the dollar amount he received.
Vol fans, it was a joke. I didn't get no where near 50k.
— feeno (@ArianFoster) January 30, 2015
Anybody that went to college w me knows I ain't get no 50k lol
— feeno (@ArianFoster) January 30, 2015
Former-Vol Ryan Karl, who played with Foster at Tennessee took exception to Foster’s comments.
“So Arian Foster I gotta call you out here,” Karl wrote on Facebook “You’re my boy, but you did not get $40-50k from boosters while at UT. Shoot, you were as broke as me in college driving a crap car living in a crap apartment – like us all. Also, these claims of being wined and dined by agents is a big stretch too. You are a baller now but at the time, you were a risky pick with who ended up being a free agent. Quit trying to grab attention while throwing your school under the bus.”
Another former-Vol, Charlie Garner, also chimed in. Responding to a Tennessee fan on Twitter, Garner wrote, “Wow!!! That’s all Wow. I got 100k to stand up a cheer and that was enough for Me! Thanks UT I will never turn my Back.”
More from former Vols:
Some of us athletes should've learned to say no comment or decline interviews and quit trying to shock people with our comments!#VFL#Respect
— Aaron Hayden (@Ran4UT) January 30, 2015
Forum Discussion: Ex VFL Arian Foster at it again
15 responses to “Arian Foster says he received $40-50k while at Tennessee”
Well, he majored in football at UT, but he obviously didn’t minor in English.
Well, did Arian pay any income tax on that money? If he did not file an income tax form for those years, then he is liable for tax, interest, penalties and possibly other civil punishments due to the fact that he knowingly evaded taxation.
If the IRS doesn’t let me slide on $40-50K, then Arian should answer for his obvious evasion. Did he or didn’t he?
Check this for your answer: https://twitter.com/ArianFoster/status/561250546984579073
Kudos to the other former players standing up for the university.
Absolutely. Fans aren’t the only ones who think Foster is acting like a knucklehead.
I guess Foster is still mad at the fans who gave him a hard time,he did say he couldn’t afford a taco and now says he got a bunch of money while there,sounds like he needs to get his lies straight
I wonder what FosterMom thinks about this ? I’m sure she didn’t let her son go without tacos
Foster loves attention. I’m sure he got some handouts but no way he received $40-$50k. He wasn’t that good.
Also makes me think he was on the take some of those games he would always fumble in key moments.
I’ll buy that for a dollar!
Foster is probably referring to o-bama, Geo and gaytor boosters and their pay for fumble program.
That’s a lot of tacos arian!
It was probably for being somebody’s Sandusky (like the equipment manager). lol
There is no income tax due on gifts.
i think foster is a blowhard. and you guys are right. he wasnt that good
i have never understood why players come out years later and say things they do. you get a free education and a chance to go pro if you are good enough. what is the point. if guily or not i just dont get it
Let’s see…. 40 to 50k.. that comes out to about $1 per fumble. They do add up quick don’t they?