Larry Foote says he has agreed to one-year deal with Lions

**d.mcc** · May-06-09, 01:35 AM

DETROIT - Larry Foote says he has agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions.

Foote said terms of the deal were reached Tuesday night and he planned to sign it Wednesday morning.

"I'm excited because it's a fresh start for me," Foote said Tuesday night in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It's a one-year deal to show my talents, and hopefully end up signing a long-term deal after showing the Lions and their new coaching staff what I can do.

Foote said he met everybody from coaches to executives to cooks at Lions headquarters in Allen Park, Mich., earlier in the day, and his agent, Ken Kremer, worked to complete a deal.

The Pittsburgh Steelers released Foote on Monday, a move expected because he asked to be traded or cut. He started every game for them the past five seasons, including their Super Bowl victories last season and after the 2005 season, but was unhappy coming off the field on passing downs.

The native of Detroit and former Michigan star said a lot of teams have expressed interest in him, including Arizona, Kansas City and Indianapolis.

Foote will become the middle linebacker the Lions desperately need coming off the first 0-16 season in NFL history.

Foote was due to make $2.885 million in the final season of his contract, but the Steelers no longer owe him the money.

With Lawrence Timmons ready to start, Foote told the Steelers last week he wanted to be dealt or cut. Pittsburgh released Foote after failing to find a team willing to part with a draft pick for him.

Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert said Foote was a big part of the team's success, but the salary cap made the decision inevitable.

Foote, a fourth-round draft pick in 2002, had 14Â½ sacks and three interceptions over the last five years with Pittsburgh after mostly being used on special teams in his first two seasons.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf...as_agreed.html

LOWELL! CAN WE PLEASE GET A SPORTS FORUM?!

**rajdet** · May-06-09, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by d.mcc

LOWELL! CAN WE PLEASE GET A SPORTS FORUM?!

I agree, we need a sports forum!

How refreshing for someone with no other agenda, who actually wants to be a Detroit Lion. Welcome home Larry, I wish you much success, good health, and hope you knock the snot out of a Viking or two!

**d.mcc** · May-06-09, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by rajdet

I agree, we need a sports forum!

How refreshing for someone with no other agenda, who actually wants to be a Detroit Lion. Welcome home Larry, I wish you much success, good health, and hope you knock the snot out of a Viking or two!

Maybe he's the Lions' Ivan Rodriguez

**BShea** · May-06-09, 02:19 PM

Foote and Julian Peterson, together, will account for at least one victory next season through their solid defensive play [[even if that's one more victory than all of last year). They're a significant improvement and good moves by the Lions, finally. I'm not a fan [[Go Browns!) but like the moves. Stafford, not so much, but these two linebackers will make a noticeable difference.

**BasementBeat** · May-06-09, 02:22 PM

Exciting news. Look forward to seeing how the rest of the off-season shapes up.

**mjb3** · May-07-09, 06:50 PM

Maybe Larry can bring one of the Rooney's with him. Then we'd have a real owner from one of the best NFL family trees[[ 3rd generation, 6 SB victories) instead of the stooge...

**Detroitej72** · May-07-09, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by mjb3

Maybe Larry can bring one of the Rooney's with him. Then we'd have a real owner from one of the best NFL family trees[[ 3rd generation, 6 SB victories) instead of the stooge...

Hey, W.C. gave us 1 playoff victory in 50 years, gotta give him credit for that!

The sad thing is I long for the glory days under Wayne "Big Buck" Fonts when we would make the playoffs and get blown out by 35 or so points.

Oh well, at least they made Bubbles look more ferocious.