Steelers veteran Ramon Foster says team is closer than ever

Aside from Ben Roethlisberger, no player has been part of the Pittsburgh Steelers longer than Ramon Foster. And on the opener of 2019 organized team activities, Foster insisted what was a tumultuous Steelers offseason didn’t tear the team apart.

“I feel like we are closer now than we ever have been,” the 11^th-year offensive lineman said while walking off the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex fields Tuesday.

Foster, who signed his fourth Steelers multiyear contract in March, called the previous 4 1/2 months “one of the longest-shortest offseasons ever.” Of course, the Steelers navigated through the loss of Le’Veon Bell in free agency and the eventually granted trade demand from Antonio Brown after Brown effectively left the team during Week 17.

Report: Antonio Brown has requested a trade from Steelers https://t.co/6lPeTpGthZ via @TribLIVE

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) January 1, 2019

Brown and Bell had critical comments about the team in between – and national media, former players and others piled on, too, mostly toward Ben Roethlisberger.

Foster defended his quarterback Tuesday, and he said all the drama around the Steelers has made team unity even stronger.

Roethlisberger admitted he “probably” went too far when he used his radio segment in November to cast blame on Brown

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— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) May 20, 2019

“I’ve said it time and time before just talking to guys this offseason – I don’t think I have talked to more guys on the other side of the ball than I have in my entire career,” Foster said. “And that’s a really good thing. That means communication is there, understanding and there are guys who are genuinely caring about each other. And that’s a good thing.”

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