Texans Foster says he took cash in college

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Houston Texans running back Arian Foster said he accepted cash from boosters while in college at Tennessee because he was often broke.

Foster said in an upcoming documentary he had to scramble to come up with money for rent and food during his senior year, even while the football program was raking in revenues and head Coach Philip Fulmer was driving a new car.

"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 going to go do something stupid,'" Foster said.

"He (Fulmer) came down and he brought like 50 tacos for like four or five of us, which is an NCAA violation," Foster said. "But then, the next day I walk up to the facility and I see my coach pull up in a brand new Lexus. Beautiful."

Foster played for the Vols from 2005-2008. He scored a dozen touchdowns in his junior year but was not selected in the 2009 NFL draft.

Bleacher Report said Foster was adamant in the interview, first obtained by Sports Illustrated, that student athletes like himself should be considered employees of their respective schools and put on the payroll.

"I am a firm believer that an employee should get paid for his work," Foster said. "And, 100 percent, I see student athletes as employees. Hiding from it is just cowardly."

CBS said there was no immediate response from Tennessee about Foster's statements.