Arian Foster is not your typical running back

• Texans running back writes poetry and rap
• He's on pace to get to 5,000 yards from scrimmage faster than Jim Brown
• Like Curtis Martin, Foster performs his community service "without the cameras"

HOUSTON -- On a dime, Texans running back Arian Foster pulls off a 360-degree spin move on his gray Segway to face a reporter outside his team's Reliant Stadium locker room. His mode of transportation is another indication that Foster, an undrafted philosophy major out of the University of Tennessee, isn't your typical NFL running back.

He doesn't stand still for long and isn't engaged by mundane football talk. He is the Texans' renaissance man with vision as sharp off the field as his is when he's gliding through game-day holes.

The 26-year-old Foster wants to leave footprints when he's done -- but not only the ones you'd expect from the 2010 rushing leader who has a league-high five touchdowns, 103 carries and ranks fourth with 380 rushing yards entering Week 5 games, which, for him, include a showdown with the New York Jets.

Foster writes poetry and rap songs. He turned vegan, and he and his wife, Romina help local Boys and Girls clubs in Houston and his native Albuquerque, New Mexico. He's a bit of a new-age Curtis Martin with a spectrum of interests and unorthodox way of carrying himself and giving back.

"I'm interested in the history of all of us and understanding where we're going,'' Foster told USA TODAY Sports."I have a responsibility to try to change and understand that. I'm talking about making an impact in our community, impacting kids, understanding the circumstances they're in and how they can change them.''

Foster doesn't have his own foundation. He fancies himself an undercover Samaritan, discreetly donating money and time to those in need the way Martin often did during his Hall of Fame career with the New England Patriots and New York Jets.

"That's a guy I look up to,'' Foster said. "I like going out and impacting kids, without announcing it, without the cameras.''

SANOTRH

He says Albuquerque is a place that could use more of his help.

"It's a nice place, but there's not a lot of things for them to do, other than drugs. I ask kids what they want to be when they grow up," he said. "But the why is more important than the what.''

His dream of becoming an NFL running back didn't come easily. He rose from undrafted practice-squad player to leading the league with 35 touchdowns from scrimmage since bursting on the scene with a league-best 1,616 rushing yards in 2010.

At his pace, Foster will reach 5,000 yards from scrimmage in his 41st game, against the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 14. That would eclipse Hall of Famer backs Jim Brown and Barry Sanders, who both hit 5,000 in their 44th games. Brown and Sanders are two reasons Foster fell in love with football.

Texans coach Gary Kubiak called Foster his "workhorse'' who "is picking up the nasty yards,'' along with being a receiver and pass protector.

"Arian is a very talented back, really passionate about the game, a combination of size, speed and ability second to none,'' left tackle Duane Brown said. "He's very different. We've had many conversations about life. He thinks outside the box.

"He likes to rap. He's very talented. We talked about being vegan, and I don't eat red meat anymore.''

With the Texans off to their first 4-0 start, Foster is asked about making a championship run.

"Do I feel something special here? Absolutely,'' he said. "I've never been around an unselfish team like this, a team that has this much fun and camaraderie. Usually some guys are upset they're not getting enough playing time.''

Not here.

"Guys are together and it's truly all about getting the W's together,'' Foster said. "I haven't won a championship since Little League. And in Little League, we were all friends. I haven't had that same feeling until last year and this season. We're together as a team.''

So why the Segway?

"A running back has a short career, man,'' Foster said. "It's all about saving my legs.''

With that, he zoomed through the Reliant Stadium tunnel.