It’s been a hard journey for linebacker Reuben Foster. His career has been surrounded by controversy, legal issues, and injury. It’s been nearly four years since he’s played for a professional football team. After tearing his ACL and MCL in his first practice with the Washington Commanders in May of 2019, we’ve seldom heard from Foster having anything to do with football.

Until today of course, where Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Foster’s road back to football stardom begins today, as he’s signed with the Pittsburgh Maulers.

Comeback: Former first-round LB Reuben Foster, attempting to return to the NFL field after a serious knee injury, will sign with the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers, source said. His opportunity this Spring to show NFL teams he’s ready to play.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2023

Foster was drafted in 2017 by the San Francisco 49ers. In 16 games with the team, he logged 84 solo tackles and 10 tackles for loss, and he even received a nomination for defensive rookie of the year in 2017. Injuries and legal issues would, unfortunately, cut his career short, and he never saw regular-season NFL action after his arrest on November 27, 2018. Even after being claimed by Washington on waivers.

Reuben Foster comes to the Maulers at 28 years old, and with a chip on his shoulder to show NFL franchises that not only has he matured personally but that he can still play the game of football at an elite level. The Maulers are taking a shot in the dark on him, and if it works out they could have one of the best defensive players in the USFL on their roster. We’ll see come April just what he has in store for Pittsburgh.