Steelers leader wants Rashard Mendenhall and others to stop bashing team

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran guard Ramon Foster has had “ENOUGH.”

Hours after former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall called quarterback Ben Roethlisberger a racist, then took it back in another tweet, Foster sent out a message asking his former teammates to “chill” when it comes to publicly criticizing players still on the team.

“Moving forward...any former player or affiliate of the Steelers who has an issue with anyone still in the locker room, please contact me or Maurkice Pouncey or anyone else you feel you can talk to,” Foster tweeted Thursday morning. “Whoever you have an issue with, we will get you their number so you can address them. I PROMISE.

“These media takes might give y’all good traffic on your social media outlets but the guys still in that locker room, who y’all still know personally have to answer for those comments. Call them what you want, but call them personally and tell THEM.”

Foster and Pouncey are two of the Steelers’ representatives for the NFL Players Assn.

Sign up for our daily sports newsletter »

A number of former Steelers players have publicly called out Roethlisberger and other current members of the organization this offseason. The most vocal has been receiver Antonio Brown, who was traded to the Oakland Raiders last month. Former Steelers running backs Le’Veon Bell and Josh Harris have also been critical of Roethlisberger.

Mendenhall’s comments about the Steelers quarterback are the most controversial by far. In a series of tweets defending Brown, Mendenhall stated that Roethlisberger is “B’s racist and @AB84’s black. He had to catch balls from a racist quarterback. Every honest player knows it, it’s not a big deal. He was just supposed to take his lickings and move on, like a slave for real.”

Hours later, the retired running back took back his comment, indicating that he was trying to illustrate a point.

“Please allow the dialogue in sports to be equal,” he tweeted. “Why’s it so easy to shoot at one player, but not the other? B’s not racist. Just like AB’s not a dirtbag. #letsbefair”

Soon after, Foster indicated that it’s time for his former teammates to “CHILL.”

“Whether you have a ring or played for one year...ENOUGH...CHILL,” Foster tweeted. “Most players at one point in their life want to take their kids back to the place where they once played, don’t burn too many bridges. It’s a long history or brotherhood more than anything, BUSINESS is one thing but let’s keep it at a minimum for the guys who have to answer for those comments.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii