Former NFL quarterback Nick Foles retired on Thursday, ending one of the more fascinating careers in recent league history.
The 11-year veteran has a legitimate case to be called the greatest backup quarterback of all time.
Most associate Foles with his epic 2017 postseason run in Philadelphia. After taking over for starting quarterback Carson Wentz (torn ACL) late in the regular season, he led the Eagles to an improbable 41-33 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII.
Foles had one of the best quarterback performances in a Super Bowl, outdueling seven-time NFL champion Tom Brady. He finished the game 28-of-43 for 373 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
He also had one of the most memorable receiving touchdowns in Super Bowl history when he scored on the “Philly Special” on a fourth-and-goal late in the first half.
The Philly Special: Mic’d Up Edition 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/G46EkEth01
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 8, 2024
But that was the second time Foles took the league by storm after beginning the season as Philadelphia’s backup quarterback.
In 2013, former head coach Chip Kelly’s first year with the franchise, Foles took over for an injured Michael Vick in Week 5 and led the team to the playoffs after it began the season 1-3.
Foles set a then-NFL record for best touchdown-to-interception ratio, throwing 27 touchdowns with only two interceptions in 13 games (10 starts).
Interestingly, based on career earnings, you wouldn’t know Foles’ best years came with the Eagles. Per data from Spotrac, Philadelphia is responsible for $18.1 million of Foles’ $87.5 million NFL salary (20.7 percent).
The Jaguars (four years, $88 million) signed him during the 2019 offseason, but Foles suffered a broken collarbone in Week 1 and started only four games for the franchise.
Foles also disappointed with the Rams after being traded by the Eagles in 2015. He threw seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 56.4 percent of his passes before he was released one year into a two-year extension with $14 million guaranteed.
The Rams and Jags whiffed in their attempts to convert Foles into a franchise quarterback. If they had paid attention, they would have known he was always best as the second option.
