Eagles Rumors: Nick Foles Reunion Was Explored Prior to QB's Contract with Colts
May 23, 2022
The Philadelphia Eagles were reportedly "involved" in the free agency of Nick Foles and discussed a potential reunion with the veteran quarterback before he signed a two-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
The Eagles ultimately chose to stand pat with a quarterback group that includes Jalen Hurts as the starter, veteran Gardner Minshew as his backup and undrafted free agent rookie Carson Strong as the third-stringer, though ESPN reported that the team did receive trade inquiries for Minshew.
But Foles is, without exaggeration, a legend in Philadelphia.
The 33-year-old famously led the Eagles to a title in Super Bowl LII, throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns—and catching a touchdown pass as part of the iconic Philly Special trick play—in the team's 41-33 win over Tom Brady's New England Patriots.
NBC Sports @NBCSportsFour years ago today...<br><br>One of the most iconic plays in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SuperBowl?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SuperBowl</a> history: the Philly Special.<a href="https://twitter.com/Eagles?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Eagles</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a> <a href="https://t.co/1kqaaabn34">pic.twitter.com/1kqaaabn34</a>
While Foles has played his best NFL football as a member of the Eagles—he won four playoff games as a starter for the team in multiple postseasons and also threw for 27 touchdowns and only two interceptions for Chip Kelly's Birds in 2013—he's been more of a journeyman outside of the City of Brotherly Love. He made far less of an impact in stops with the St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears.
In Philadelphia, Foles threw for 8,703 career yards, 58 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in 40 games (32 starts). Outside of the Eagles, however, those numbers dipped to 5,300 passing yards, 24 touchdowns and 20 picks in 28 games (24 starts).
Contracts with the Jacksonville Jaguars (four years, $88 million, traded after one season) and the Rams (two years, $24.5 million for 11 starts in one season and $9.7 in dead cap after his release) proved to be particular unfriendly from the team side.
One benefit of joining the Colts is that Foles will be reunited with Frank Reich, his offensive coordinator with the Eagles in 2017, who is now Indy's head coach. That reunion didn't work between Reich and former Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, who flamed out after one season in Indianapolis and was traded to the Washington Commanders this offseason.
But Wentz was brought in to be the starter, while Foles will serve as a backup to Matt Ryan. If the Colts do need to call upon him, they'll be hoping he and Reich can cook up some of that Philly magic from 2017.