Former Iowa Hawkeyes Linebacker Dead at 59

A stalwart presence on the Iowa Hawkeyes defensive line in the late 1980s, who went on to have an admirable second life as a deputy sheriff, has passed away.

Former Iowa Hawkeye linebacker Melvin Foster died last weekend in Houston at the age of 59. Foster was a four-year player for the Hawkeyes from 1987 - 1990, and later joined the Dallas Cowboys for a brief stint.

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Melvin Foster's Winning Life on the Field and Off:

Foster totaled 337 career tackles with the Iowa Hawkeyes, ranked 15th in the program's history. He is probably best remembered by black and gold faithful as the one who caught the crucial interception, which prompted Iowa to score a game-winning touchdown against Michigan State in 1990, per KCRG.

Foster was part of the Hawkeye team that played in the Big Ten Championship in 1990, as well as the Rose Bowl. He shared team MVP honors that year.

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After football, Foster went on to serve as a Deputy and Field Training Officer with the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Houston, TX. He worked there for 15 years, and has been getting his flowers, condolences, and more on the sheriff's office Facebook page, which is inspiring to see.

Last August, former Hawkeye defensive lineman Derreck Robinson passed away. Robinson played for the Hawkeyes from 2001 to 2004. During that span, the Hawkeyes won two Big Ten Conference titles and won three of their four bowl games. Robinson contributed on a stalwart defensive line for the black and gold.

Read more about the death of former Iowa Hawkeye Melvin Foster on KCRG's website.