He wasn’t as transformative as Randall Cunningham. He doesn’t own any all-time Philadelphia Eagles records like Donovan McNabb. He wasn’t even the first quarterback to get to the Super Bowl like Ron Jaworski.
What Nick Foles has, though, is something no Eagles quarterback has ever accomplished. It’s why his retirement announcement Thursday morning may not come as a surprise, but as a reinforcement that the lone Super Bowl-winning quarterback in franchise history belongs among the rafters along with other Eagle greats.
Eagles Should Retire Nick Foles’ Number
With his announcement on Thursday, Foles closed a football chapter that is one of the oddest rides in league history. Originally a third-round pick in the final year of the Andy Reid era, Foles showed promise in his first season in a lost 4-12 mark.
After much thought and prayer, I've decided to retire from the NFL. It's been an incredible 11-year journey filled with unforgettable moments and amazing people. From being drafted by the Eagles to winning the Super Bowl, every step has been a blessing.
I'm excited to spend more… pic.twitter.com/2uI5az5Eoc
— Nick Foles (@NickFoles) August 8, 2024
In 2013, he took over for an injured Michael Vick and caught fire, throwing 27 touchdowns to just two interceptions and leading the Eagles to an NFC East crown. His meteoric rise in Philadelphia may have only lasted another year with the city, but it showed he could be a quality starting quarterback when called upon.
After a lost season in 2015, though, it appeared Foles’ career was done. He joined back with the Eagles in 2017 to be the backup quarterback to Carson Wentz.
The rest, as they say, is history.
A gruesome injury to a Super Bowl-contending roster, a shaky return to game action, and two of the greatest playoff performances later, Foles not only led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl win in franchise history, but put forth one of the greatest performances in the big game’s history.
It certainly doesn’t help he helped catch and create the greatest trick play in football history.
The Philly Special: Mic’d Up Edition 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/G46EkEth01
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 8, 2024
Historical is the only way to describe Foles’ time in Philadelphia. In three of the five seasons he was with the team, the organization went to the playoffs. For the St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, and Chicago Bears, Foles was nothing more than a backup quarterback.
In Philadelphia, though, Foles is king, even though he’s only ninth in team history for total passing touchdowns, 10th in passing yards, and started only 32 games in his career with the Birds.
It just doesn’t matter. It’s the only way to describe a player who helped defeat Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and the New England Patriots dynasty on the world’s biggest stage by putting on one of the greatest performances in Super Bowl history.
Eagles fans can close their eyes and remember where they were on Feb. 4, 2018. It was the day one of the biggest snake-bitten franchises in league history finally became champions of the football world.
While many players and coaches contributed to that, there was something magical about the city of underdogs rallying behind the biggest one on the roster — the backup quarterback who once was the toast of the town, quickly discarded, and fought back to lead the team again.
It’s what makes Foles synonymous with Philadelphia success.
The Eagles only have one quarterback’s number officially retired. For good reason, too, as McNabb’s genius is still underappreciated over a decade after his own retirement. McNabb’s own legacy, though, is missing one key part, and it’s the one thing Foles has.
In the end, he wasn’t the most talented quarterback in team history, and he wasn’t even the one people would flock to the television to see.
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Foles was special in his own way, and that alone should be enough to have his No. 9 hanging above the rafters.
Of course, his Super Bowl MVP wouldn’t hurt.