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Come Fan with UsWednesday, August 5, 2026

Arian Foster taking on NCAA, admits receiving money while at Tennessee

The ex-Volunteer makes the case for players being better taken care of financially.

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Update: Foster at Texans practice Friday:

Safe to say his position is clear.

Tennessee is already dealing with a Yahoo! Sports report alleging illicit payments to players in recent years, and former Vol running back Arian Foster isn't helping matters. In an upcoming documentary, Foster is seen on camera admitting to taking money during his time in Knoxville. And not just admitting, but advocating for NCAA change.

An excerpt of the documentary showing Foster’s admission, per Sports Illustrated:

The documentary is titled “Schooled: The Price of College Sports,” and focuses on the issue of whether college athletes should be compensated for their services. In his time on camera, Foster discussed how he didn’t have a lot of money, and that he felt there was nothing wrong with taking money to help pay for food and rent on his apartment. Transcript via SI:

“I don’t know if this will throw us into an NCAA investigation -- my senior year, I was getting money on the side,” said Foster. “I really didn’t have any money. I had to either pay the rent or buy some food. I remember the feeling of like, ‘Man, be careful.’ But there’s nothing wrong with it. And you’re not going to convince me that there is something wrong with it.

“There were plenty of times where throughout the month I didn’t have enough for food,” Foster said in the 90-minute documentary. “Our stadium had like 107,000 seats; 107,000 people buying a ticket to come watch us play. It’s tough just like knowing that, being aware of that. We had just won and I had a good game, 100 yards or whatever You go outside and there’s hundreds of kids waiting for you. You’re signing autographs, taking pictures, whatever.

“Then I walk back, and reality sets in. I go to my dorm room, open my fridge, and there’s nothing in my fridge. Hold up, man. What just happened? Why don’t I have anything to show for what I just did? There was a point where we had no food, no money, so I called my coach and I said, ‘Coach, we don’t have no food. We don’t have no money. We’re hungry. Either you give us some food, or I’m gonna go do something stupid.’ He came down and he brought like 50 tacos for like four or five of us. Which is an NCAA violation. [laughs] But then, the next day I walk up to the facility and I see my coach pull up in a brand new Lexus. Beautiful.”

The documentary will premiere Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Epix. For more information, click here.

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