Browns RB D'Onta Foreman Grateful For More Than Football After Injury Scare

D'Onta Foreman scored a touchdown on the Browns opening drive of the game against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday

Aug 17, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns running back D'Onta Foreman (27) blows a kiss to fans as he celebrates his touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings defense during the first quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports / Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Life and football are all about perspective.

So while Cleveland Browns fans were celebrating D'Onta Foreman's touchdown on the opening drive of the team's 27-12 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the 28-year-old back was celebrating something bigger: just the fact that he was there to experience that moment.

That's the type of perspective anyone would gain if they suffered scary neck injury that could have changed their life forever. A little over two weeks back, that was Foreman's reality after suffering a concerning hit during one of the team's first training camp practices at the Greenbrier Resort in W. Va.

"I mean I'm thankful to be able to walk," Foreman said after the game. "It isn't even just playing football, I'm thankful to just be here, be alive, be able to be myself. Things happen so fast in life, you just gotta be thankful for every moment, every day,e very situation you get.

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At the time of the injury back on Aug. 1, Foreman stayed down on the field for an extended period of time before being placed on a backboard and ultimately moved to an ambulance on site. The situation turned even more serious when he wound up being air lifted to Carilion Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Va.

"I remember the whole thing," Foreman said. "We were just out there working hard, getting some good work in. I went to make initial contact, we were working on punt rushes, with my head down and pretty much it kind of jammed and went down my spine area, and I just felt a sharp pain. Once I let them know and they felt around and felt where the pain was at, they just wanted to be extra cautious about everything."

Precautionary as it may have been, for Foreman – who had never been in a helicopter before – the panic he felt was real.

"I was scared, I was nervous, but they kept me calm," he admitted. "It knew that everything was just kinda precautionary. They had already checked and made sure that I was able to move everything and everything like that. They just didn't know if I was to have a later symptom maybe, starting going numb or have some numbness later on so we just checked all the boxes and I appreciate them for that."

In the week that followed the incident Foreman stayed off the practice field, eventually returning to action miraculously on Aug. 8. Still, he sat out the Browns preseason opener with the Packers. Then was heavily involved during joint practices with the Vikings this week before making his preseason debut for Cleveland on Saturday.

Foreman would finish the game with just 10 rushes for 18 yards. He made a larger impact in the air, hauling in five passes for 40 yards. It was that touchdown though and the moment he had to reflect on where he's come in a matter of weeks that meant the most.

"I think it puts a lot into perspective about how fast life can change and how things can happen," Foreman explained. "So to be able to still be healthy and to be able to come out here and play the game that I love to play, stuff I've been working hard for – I'm just very thankful for that."