LB Jay Foreman | Where are they now?

Original Houston Texan Jay Foreman joined Drew Dougherty of Texans TV, and shared what he's doing these days in Lincoln, Nebraska. The former linebacker also reminisced about when the ground shook inside NRG Stadium, the teammates he still talks with, and much more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We've got an original text in with us. That's right
linebacker Jay Foreman. Jay, you and I were just talking
off camera. It's been way too long. I think it was,
you know, during Andre Johnson's Ring of Honor weekend and
seventeen and before that. We'd see it training camp from
time to time. But you're looking good. How are you?
What's going on these days? Where are you and what

(00:20):
are you doing? Yeah, I'm back in my original stomping
grounds in Lincoln, Nebraska. I've been working for a company
called Midwest Holding, so I kind of just helped them
out with their marketing and sales a little bit. So
I've been doing that for a while, coach a little
bit of youth basketball, and every once in a while
go down and help with the Husker football team, mainly

(00:43):
this year I went down there quite quite a bit.
So just kind of stay stay busy, man. And you know,
health is, you know, decent for the most part. You know,
still got you know obviously neck and back injuries, but
nothing you know, out of the norm. So just trying
to live life and you know what it is, man,
trying to uh, you know, I enjoy watching football now

(01:04):
and don't have to get ready to get those hits
all the time. So these dudes are moving at you know,
I would like to think people thought when I played,
I was moving that fast. But these dudes look like
they're moving a lot faster than I ever did. Well,
you were moving quick, quickly. You were moving fast in
those days for sure. Two thousand and six was I
guess your last year that you played in a regular
season game. You just mentioned it was fun or it

(01:24):
is fun watching games? Was that immediate? Did it? Were
you able to watch like in two thousand and seven
without you know, kind of having man Yeah, you know,
to be honest with you, I didn't watch football or
do anything with football for like two or three years.
I mean I didn't. I mean, I'm talking about it.
I didn't watch high school, college or prosum you know,

(01:46):
because I've never ever been injured. And I got hurt
my last year at Houston and never seem to be
able to get back on track, and then kind of
bounced around last you know, a couple of years and
hurt my neck real bad. So you never leave and
didn't leave the game team not even close how i'd like,
And most of us don't um and so you know
you're trying to figure stuff out, but um, you know,

(02:07):
me coming back to Nebraska periodically kind of rekindled that
and then that, you know, let me when I'd be
down to training camp every year. Uh, did a little
bit of media stuff when they had Comcast Sports Net
and did some stuff with Texans, and they did Texans
have always done a good job with us, original Texans
or any alumni, keeping us involved when we're in town.

(02:28):
So yeah, um, you know, so then that it kind
of you know, um, you know, snowball from there. And
now I'll get this. You know, when I do get
a free moment and watch a good game, I definitely
sit down them and then watched it from a fans perspective. Yeah,
so you're in Lincoln, you were playing for the Huskers.
You guys were no joke man, I mean y'all were

(02:51):
one of the bullies in college football. What's it like,
you said, you help out with a team, what sort
of stuff do you do, and what's it like, you know,
being in Lincoln and seeing the team now versus what
it was like when you were there obviously, but yeah,
it's a it's a drastic difference of Obviously, the record yea. Um,
but you know, it's good to be around. And the
only thing I'm not down there like a full time

(03:11):
no way by a coach. It just volunteery once in
a while. What I try to do is work with
the players from a mental standpoint, you know, kind of
focusing and understand that you know, you only get to
play this game a short time. Um. You know, I
think it's like what under one percent that guys would
make it and in the stay a little bit longer
than they're supposed to do for you know, you know,
getting you know, your veteran status in the NFL. So

(03:33):
I try to get them to understand, maximize your opportunity, um,
take advantage of it. And it's more from the mental side.
And um mainly that was this year and as far
as the team goes, you know, obviously they're just uh
been a lot of transition, you know, because when I
was here, coach Osborne was here. It's kind of like
Saban is now at Alabama and that's how we played
and so you know, obviously it brings back good memories

(03:55):
watching them. And then Scott you know, who is a
former teammate of mine, is trying to get it back
on the right track. So it's been very frustrating as
an alumni, just because I'm not used to seeing Nebraska
lose at this rate. But I think they're on the
right track, So you know, I just try to look.
I always try to tell play any players, whether it's
a rookie or somebody that's you know, playing in the

(04:16):
NFL aspirations even college or high school to college, what
I did good, what I wish I would have maybe
done different, where I kind of ran into a little
bit of speed bumps, and maybe if I heard a
story or two that may correlate to what they're doing.
Because I feel like that's one of the best ways
that I can give back is help people if they

(04:36):
if it could help one player maybe have a good
or better experience playing football, or maybe last a year
or two longer in the NFL, then that's what you're
supposed to do. Because you know, when I was growing up,
I was fortunate enough that my dad was a pretty
prominent player in his time. Not even biased. I think
you should probably get in the in the Hall of Fame,
not there yet, but I was able to be exposed

(04:57):
to a lot of guys that he played with and
played against, so just all the different events and stuff,
and so that's what you know, it kind of really
made my transition a little bit easier going from college
or from high school to college. College the pros. So
if I always told myself, if I ever was in
a position like that and people ask my advice or
thought I could help out in any way, that's the
least that you can do, is just trying to help
out because it's hard to do. Man. It's a you know,

(05:20):
playing just playing a game at the NFL level is accomplishment.
And then when you're talking about putting a career together
and trying to be successful because the composition isn't thick.
So that's kind of what I'm doing down there in Nebraska,
or did last year. And you know, we'll see if
I go back this year, I think, you know, obviously
they haven't even got back in school yet, so it's
nothing that's going to be on the horizon. But you know,

(05:41):
mainly it's a you know, I'm good to try to
help out the game as much as possible. Yeah, you
just brought this. This interview is about you, but you
just brought up your father, Chuck Foreman, running back for
those that don't know the nineteen seventies, the Minnesota Vikings,
I mean they were one of the krem de la
krem in the NFL during that period, play and a
lot of Super Bowls. So yeah, you're right, your dad

(06:02):
is one of the greats, and he does deserve a
lot more consideration, for sure. Ye tell me about coming
into the NFL. You leave Nebraska, you go to the
Buffalo Bills. Steadily, you get better year by year. You
spent three years with him. Your final year there you
get over one hundred tackles and then you are in
original Texan but you're not. Everybody knows this. You were

(06:23):
traded to the Texans. So what was that like? Tell
me about that transition, because I think people people assume,
you know, they saw what you did with the Texas.
You were one of the leaders on that great defense.
We can say it now. It was a great defense
wins and losses. It didn't translate because of some stuff
going on on the offensive side the boat. You guys
were a hell of a defense. You were one of
their leaders, but you were not one of the expansion draftees. Right, yeah,

(06:45):
you know it. What funny is the Internet was very
uh immature. Yeah, I think you know, you know what
you you know, the whole thing is, you know, you
can try to get right, you haven't, try to build
yourself up and then maybe get a tender at that time,
which is uh, you know, a fourth year contract. I
was a late round draft choice and and like you said,

(07:05):
steady worked my way up, played a few games my
rookie year, started a lot. In my second year, got
a new coach, did pretty well, you know. And then
the only thing that you could get on the internet
back then, and we had dial up, you know, so
we had no no Wi Fi, was to get on
I think a website kfl dot com, and you know,

(07:27):
that's where you get your free agency news. And so
the expanse and draft went, they usually had to notify
you whether you were going to be in it. And
I never got notified because I was a restricted free agent,
so they really couldn't, but they could, and so you know,
they signed a veteran linebacker that had previous experience with
coach Williams who was the coach at Buffalo at the time,

(07:47):
Greg Williams. So I was kind of in limbo. But
you know, my agent was like you go back there
and maybe they'll switch your positions and you'll play. And
went out there for like the first like kind of
mini camp at OTAs, and they said, before you step
out here, it's gonna let you know, we just traded
you for Charlie Rodgers. And then, um, you know, next thing,
you know, I think that night or that very next morning,
I was on my way to Houston, which you know,

(08:09):
I'd only been down to Texas playing and playing in
college and so we played down in San Antonio in
the Big Twelfth Championship. But I'd never really been to Texas,
and but I played with tons of guys from Texas
and you hear I always say this, guys from Texas,
it's always bigger and better and when you get there.
I didn't even realize Houston at that time it was
the third largest city in the whole of the United States,
you know, so I'm learning on the fly let alone.

(08:32):
When I left Buffalo, it was considering a hot day.
I think it was like sixty eight degrees and Sonny
get down in Houston, I think it was it was
it was ninety degrees, ninety percent humidity, and Don was
a coach I didn't really know what was going on.
The best thing I think that could have happened to
me was Chris Brown had just signed as a free agent,

(08:54):
I think from Pittsburgh as a kicker. Me and him
played together, so it's good you have a familiar face
even though he's a kid. You know, obviously we're not
in the same you know, position group room, but you
still know him, even knowing each other since we've been eighteen.
And then I knew Collie Wong because in the offseason
I lived in Minneapolis and he came down from the Vikings.
So at Lisa had some guys I could talk to
a converse, and I knew all the players that they

(09:15):
picked up, you know, just you know they were all
you know, Seth Payne, Jamie Sharper, Aaron Glenn, Marcus Coleman,
m Gary Walker, so fourth and so on. So like
you know, look at to be a you know, good
situation or you know, playing with some good players. Got
down here and you know, they threw me in the fire.
Reggie Herring was my linebacker coach, and if you know

(09:36):
anything about Reggie, he is definitely intense. And the good
thing that I didn't know until you know, middle of
the first season was he knew my linebacker coach in Buffalo.
They must have coached together, so he knew kind of
what buttons the push, and Reggie brought out the best
in me. Man, and um, I love Reggie to this day.
I still, you know, text with him, you know, three
or four times a year, and we really dove in.

(10:00):
I got to learn the defense, which was you know,
very very complex defense, a Dom Kaper's three four defense.
But once I got there, I kind of felt like
I took off individually and it allowed me to prosper
not only as a player, but then also as a leader,
you know, be more, you know, be a voice. Grow up.
I still was a fourth year player, So you gotta
think Jamie Sharper was a Super Bowl champion. Aaron Glenn

(10:20):
was a numerous time Pro bowler. Marcus Coleman should have
Gary Walker has been a pro bowler. Seth Plaine was
really really good, and so I had to find my way.
But then once I got in there, and I figured,
you know the best thing that I can do is
show up early every day, work my tailoff, produce and
everything else as far as them under you know, welcoming
me as the leader. When you're the middle linebacker and
the play caller, you're just you're the de facto leader,

(10:43):
whether you like it or not. And then it just
kind of was a perfect marriage, man, and we played
hard for each other. We played, you know, a lot
of great football the first two years, and were injuries
hit us in the third year. And I love those guys.
You know, we went through some times together where you know,
the offense was very lean, um and it's a new team,

(11:04):
you know, and you were kind of you know, new organization,
but that we had a tremendous amount of support organizational
and wise, and fan base wise. So so that was
really good. But uh, you know, we had to take
it on the chin. And every time when you see
Houston have success, you kind of feel like you have
a little bit invested in it because you know, we
were the original guys. And they make us feel at

(11:25):
home too, you know when you come back and stuff,
and all the players that they've or that I've ever
came in you know, contact with, you know afterwards, are
really really good. So I always look back at Houston
as a a secondary home. If I didn't live in Nebraska,
I definitely live in Houston. I love going back there.
I miss it, you know obviously now during the winter
here in Nebraska. But I love the city of Houston.

(11:45):
Nothing but fond memories. Um. Some of my best friends
are down there and um and I made a lot
of great friends that I still talk to. Ye and
we're you know, I hadn't been down there for quite
some time. But every time we see each other, h
it's we start right over. Like when I see Fred Weary,
I love. I love going back to alumni wee weekend
seeing Eric Brown because he's the guy, he's the he's
the one of the best personalities character. And Kenny Wright,

(12:10):
you know you see him, Corey Bradford, um. And then
Fred Weary. I love seeing Fred. I mean because we
used the butt heads all the time. Um, but he's
a guy with a tremendous amount of respect for him
as a player, as a person. But we had it
even though we obviously didn't win as much as we
thought we should or could or whatever the situation was,
it was never from a lack of effort um or

(12:32):
or or you know, trying to do the right thing.
And we really bonded. I mean, you gotta think to
take the leap of faith, whether you got picked up
in the expansive draft or traded. Ideally, it's not probably
where you want to go as a as sending player, um,
but you get down there and you make it work,
and you start to build relationships, and you go through
the grind and you make it the first year, second

(12:52):
third year, you know, you kind of start to have
a good foundation, and you know, one of the things
I wish they could have done was maybe let us
try to do it one more year, because I felt
like we could have got a little bit more healthy
on defense obviously in few some draft choices or whatever
they did, and Andre was really starting to take off
and we started to kind of get a little bit

(13:14):
better on that side of the ball and stuff like that.
I think we could have really did some things. But
obviously it worked out, you know, obviously shortly after that
and they made the playoffs numerous times, which was great
to see because definitely the city of Houston definitely, you know,
obviously deserved, you know, obviously a winner, and you know,
you know, I always you see it right now, I
got at my Houston jersey here and Buffalo there. You know,

(13:35):
I played two more seasons for Giants in San Francisco.
But these are the only two that I have frame
and I always, you know, think of the Houston first
and foremost, even um, you know we're drafted by the
Buffalo Bills. Yeah, you know. You you bring up that defense,
and it was an expansion team, but it's not an
expansion defense. If it if it had been like a
true typical expansion team defense, boy, is this the Straits

(13:59):
would have been much dire, you know, it would have
been a lot uglier than what it what it was.
But you started out, you guys, and the Texans started
out on such a high with the win over the Cowboys.
What's your main weird recollection about that night. It's interesting
talking you guys that played in it, because everyone's got
us an odd little memory about that night that just

(14:19):
stands out above everything else. Right, it was a night
game and Sunday night where people don't understand that. I
think Dallas was on hard knocks and we scrimmaged them
kind of like copractice. And I remember there was a
thing Emmett Smith was on the bus and he's like, oh,
we can run the ball against him, And I'm thinking,
like you guys didn't do anything, you know, like when
we practice, and that that was it. And I just

(14:41):
remember the tension, the excitement in that locker room. I
mean you could cut it with a with a butter knife.
And once Dom Caper said go and we started out
fast with the defense and we were playing at another
speed that they hadn't seen us play before. You could
see in their eyes that they weren't ready to play.
But one of the great things was when Gary I
think Gary Walker got that big I think it was

(15:02):
either safety or tackle back there in the end zone
out it actually was Seth Payne subject right there too,
but I don't I don't really, I don't remember. I
do remember that because Gary was the next week in
the locker room. Gary was trying to take credit for it,
and Seth was mad, and I was like, you two
played together with Jackson. You shouldn't know Gary. Gary is

(15:23):
always gonna be that guy who's gonna push your buttons.
Gary had the awesome flex on camera. The camera cut,
but yes, Seth, Seth had to sack. Gary was was
was flexing, and I really felt like the ground was shaking.
That's how That's how wild the crowd was and it
was awesome. It was like when you didn't want to
leave the field. Obviously I played in national championship games
before and domatoldas this is gonna be a big game,

(15:45):
and then I really realized how much Houston missed football. Yeah,
you know, you hear about it, right, and hear about
the Oilers going to Tennessee, and it's like always I'm
from here, Hey, from Afar, And then you know the preseason, okay,
you know, but when it's Dallas and we got him
at home Sunday night, it's nothing. Um, there was nothing
like it. And obviously you know it's hard to replicate

(16:07):
that and uh but it's you get off under start
the right foot, you have the confidence. But we just
weren't able to kind of you know, parlay that into
numerous wins. But that night is really really special. And
every time that I get to walk on the field,
I remember what it was like me walking out for that,
you know, during the game in feeling and you couldn't
see an empty seat. I mean, you talk about pregame

(16:28):
hour half before a game, if you're warming up, I
mean it was jam pack and you know it was
a it's it's great to be a part of history.
It's great to be part of the early history in Houston.
And you know, like I said, I can't say it enough.
Is like how much I'm you know, missing loved the
city of Houston and the Texans and uh, you know,
just to be a part of it, be a part
of a win against Dallas, which is always fun. And

(16:51):
I never really said I like didn't like a team
or hated a team, but ever since then, I always
hate Dallas. You know, a lot of a lot of
my friends, you know, they say they're Dallas Cowboys. Man,
I got way fans like may what's wrong with you?
You know? And uh, but you know we got one
up on him. We uh you know, took him to
the wood shed. And I'm sure every time that Houston
gets to hook up with Dallas, you know, I guess
it brings back some fond memories of that first night

(17:11):
nineteen to ten. It comes up often, even even when
they're not playing the Cowboys. So who do you keep
in touch with from your playing days? You just mentioned
a few names like Fred Weary and some of the others,
But you know, how much how often do you get
to talk to see some of these guys that you
suited up with. Yeah, Chris Brown lives in Omaha, so
I might see him twice a year, um and or
you know, probably even maybe more of that, you know,

(17:33):
maybe a couple of games. I might see him and
then see him just maybe an airport or something. UM.
So I see him and talk to him, and we
text every once in a while. UM probably text two
or three times a month with Jamie Sharper, Kylie Wong
and Keith Mitchell. So we were kind of like the
original four. Yep. I'm still trying to track down old
Jeff Posey you know in the in uh you know,

(17:55):
really to be honest with you, UM, me and Jeff
Posey connected because we've kind of came in right together,
and Jeff was kind of he came later and he
could really rush the passers. But the times that we
would drive back from you know, mini camps, a training
camp to our hotel and but man, you know it
was hot. How we was gonna make it and then
we both end up making it, um it. Lost just

(18:17):
lost track of him after he uh you know retired.
So mainly the four linebackers, uh, seth. When I come down,
I always texted him every once in a a while when
I see him. He's got quite the personality obviously doing stuff,
which is really really great because Seth is extremely intelligent
but funny in the same way. So I always kind
of try to text with Steth or with Seth and

(18:37):
then also Gary Walker, so we all kind of stayed
in contact. Fred Weary, Um, Milford Brown, Yeah, Um, you
know I heard from Billy Miller, you know, like a
few months ago, which is great, so if you see him,
and then of course Eric Brown, you you know Eric Brown.
I just saw him and you know there he had
like a little social media post to being at the
last game. If you if I ever come to Houston,

(18:58):
I'm gonna make sure I always see him. And plus
he's a San Antonio Spurs fan, so when they were winning,
that's all he talked about. Right now they're struggling a
little bit, so I'll text him every once about about
the Spurs. But he's a Spurs guy to the end,
so we still have There's not one teammate that I
played with in those original first three three years that
you know, I don't talk to. And it's always a

(19:19):
delight to see m Andre Johnson and um, you know,
extremely happy for him. You know, Um, when he went
into the Houston Texans you know Wall of Fame or
Hall of Fame, because I remember this like it was
like it like it was yesterday. When he walked through
those gates. I remember telling somebody that's an All of
Fame player right there, and that dude is it was
a dude. And he's a great guy, you know what

(19:41):
I mean. Doesn't say much. I always called him Ef Hudton.
He don't say anothering, but when he does talk, everybody listens.
And so it's always a great time to see you know,
Andre and those guys. And I ran into David Carr
a few years back when he was playing in Carolina.
You know, he was you know, I think he's backing
up there and and I was living there and so
it got to see him. It's always good to see

(20:02):
him doing well. And funny thing is Derek Carr, remember
he used to come and do quarterback drills and so
it's cool. You know, some of them get you know,
Jason Simmons, he's coaching now. Um and um, you know,
if you can run it, I know doms it was
up in Minneapolis, so you know, I think I ran
into him a few years ago. So everybody that has
that connection, you have this bond that it's like, uh,

(20:22):
you went through It's kind of like the Junction Boys,
you know, back that movie. You went through some stuff
and you kind of always have that that that connection
with him, and every time you see him, you know
that you've been through some uh some tough times and
but you know it all came for the better because
you know, they look at the franchise right now, what's
next for you? Oh well, well, you know, to be honest,

(20:44):
and nothing was sports. I was fortunate enough to go
into the Nebraska Hall of Fame here a few years ago. Yeah,
thank you. That was kind of like my you know,
I didn't come in the league expecting to ever make
the Hall of Fame or you know, an NFL Hall thing,
so I realistic used but kind of felt like I
did enough at Nebraska possibly to get there, and that

(21:05):
was kind of something I was kind of waiting on.
And it came to fruition a couple of years ago.
So the sports thing, I'm I'm finished, and um, you know,
I just enjoyed you know, married now or married and
we got four kids. Were blended family. So, um, lots
of coaching, lots of driving around. Huh yeah, driving around,
and and it used to be you want them to

(21:26):
become teenagers and drive, but I think I'll do it
and um, you know, coach, coach a little basketball, help
out with football, so I stay busy and uh, just
enjoying life man. And um you know, you know, obviously
playoff time now right obviously was involved, but um, you know,
just kind of right now. Obviously it's all about you know,
keeping your health and and keeping your mind right. So

(21:46):
that's what you you know, the main focus. But just
working and um, you know, just keeping a little profile.
And I'll I mean, I'll be back probably next year,
just obviously, you know, obviously assuming things change, and uh
be excited as ever, and probably maybe a couple of
games just to make up for a lost time. So
you know, I love city of Houston, love everybody you know,
miss the original guys and keep up with them all

(22:08):
the time. Well we miss you too, man. When you
do come back, make sure you give us a heads up.
We'd love to catch back up with you again and
see how you're doing. This has been a treat. Where
are they now? With Jay Foreman and original Houston Texans