Foster reveling in new career

He was more than happy to accommodate that request.

“I ended up having a dinner with the rookies. Mr. (Art) Rooney was there, coach Tomlin was there,” Foster said. “I communicated with them for a little while, exchanged some stories. It’s been really cool. My involvement is still within the Steelers organization, at a minimum, but I still have ties. That’s been good, too. I went up for the University of Tennessee-Pitt game this year, and that was my first time back in the building. It was surreal. As a former player, it was cool to know you have a home you belong to.”

It gave him an appreciation for the many times he saw veterans stopping by training camp or practices during his playing days.

The Steelers always keep that door open.

“To be at one place for so long, to make that place my home, my kids were born there, raised there, the appreciation of being a part of that organization was cool for me,” Foster said. “I’m thankful for it for sure.”

And always watching. Foster liked what he saw of the growth of the Steelers during the 2022 season.

But for obvious reasons, he focuses on what’s happening in the trenches.

“I’m on the fan side, but I’m definitely critiquing,” he said of watching games. “But I’m trying not to be that back-in-my-day guy. I don’t want to be that dude. I want to call it as it is, like I am with this o-line versus d-line (drill) right now.”

FINISHING WITH A FLOURISH: Stanford cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly finished off the team portion of the National Team practice Wednesday by stepping in front of a pass intended for wide receiver Elijah Higgins and returning it 40 yards for a touchdown, much to the pleasure of his defensive teammates.

Kelly is the son of former NFL cornerback Brian Kelly, who spent 10 seasons with the Buccaneers and one with the Lions. His position coach for much of his playing career was Mike Tomlin.

The younger Kelly (6-foot, 193 pounds) was a four-year starter at Stanford, where he intercepted three passes and had 23 career pass…