NFL prospect D’Onta Foreman reveals he lost a son during his junior season

Former Texas Longhorns running back D’Onta Foreman entered the 2017 NFL draft after three seasons in Austin. Foreman’s junior year was his best of his career. He rushed for 2,028 yards, and accounted for 15 touchdowns. He was awarded the 2016 Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s best back annually. On Friday night, he was selected in the third round of the NFL draft by the Houston Texans.

But we learned in the days leading up to the draft that the running back had to deal with the loss of a child in the middle of his season. In an exclusive interview with the NFL Network’s Andrea Kremer, Foreman tells the story of his son, who was born 17 weeks premature and weighed just 15 ounces on Sept. 16, 2016. He was named D’Onta Foreman Jr.

Foreman kept the existence of his son private until now.

“It was hard. It was so tough to keep it a secret. I didn’t want people feeling sorry for me. I just wanted to go out there and compete and I’d give it my all.”

Former Texas running backs coach Anthony Johnson credits Foreman’s son as one of the reasons for the RB’s success.

“That was I think the tipping point for him. I think the birth of his child opened his eyes, and from that point on, he was, he went on a tear.”

As Foreman continued to balance his career with his new family, his son spent 50 days in the neonatal intensive care unit. Before Texas’ game against Texas Tech last November, the baby developed an infection in his intestine, and the outlook wasn’t good.

Foreman had a career-high 341 yards and three touchdowns against the Red Raiders, which the running back calls “the best game of his life.”

“It was just something about that game, it was like, ‘I’m doing this for my son.’ I’m leaving it all out here.”

After the game, Foreman began driving to Texas City to see his son. Heartbreakingly, the baby passed away while he was still making the trip over.

“I was crushed, and I was so hurt,” Foreman said. “I feel like something was taken away from me before I even really got the chance to experience it.”

Foreman declared for the draft after his emotional season, and his girlfriend, Carissa, recently became pregnant again. The expected due date? The same Sept. 16 birth date of his son that passed.

Best of luck to Foreman and his family in the coming days and months during his new NFL career.