Nick Foles: Eagles Fans 'Will Forever' Be Family Amid Reported Jaguars Contract

After reportedly signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, quarterback Nick Foles said his goodbyes to the Philadelphia Eagles and the city of Philadelphia in an article for The Players' Tribune on Wednesday. 

In reference to Philly, Foles wrote, "It's family. Philadelphia, thank you for welcoming me into yours. You will forever be a part of mine."

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Foles is expected to officially sign a four-year, $88 million deal with the Jags when the new league year begins Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET.

In his open letter, Foles also thanked everyone responsible for his success in Philadelphia, including head coaches Andy Reid and Doug Pederson. He even thanked Chip Kelly for trading him to the St. Louis Rams in 2015, noting, "Without that challenge in my life, I wouldn’t be the player I am today."

Foles also discussed choosing to sign back with the Eagles in 2017 and raise his child in Philadelphia.

Although Foles was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013, just one year after the Eagles selected him in the third round of the NFL draft, his second stint in Philly was even better than the first.

Foles took over as the Eagles starting quarterback late in the 2017 campaign when Carson Wentz went down with a knee injury. He then led Philadelphia on an amazing playoff run that culminated in an upset win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

In addition to being named Super Bowl MVP, Foles threw for 971 yards, six touchdowns and one interception in three playoff games while completing 72.6 percent of his passes.

Foles wrote Wednesday that he reveled in the joy that winning a Super Bowl brought the people of Philadelphia:

"Because for as much of an honor as it's been to play for this team and this city ... the truest privilege has been over the last year, in the time since we won the Super Bowl—having Eagles fans share their stories with me. Having them remind me of how we didn't just win the Super Bowl; we won the Eagles' first Super Bowl ever. Getting to hear from Philly natives about how their father, or father's father, or mother, or mother's mother, cried tears of happiness after the game. Learning about how, for most people, rooting for the Eagles is more than a decision—it's a birthright."

Foles replaced an injured Wentz late last season as well and once again led the Eagles to the playoffs. He even helped Philly beat the Chicago Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round, but the Eagles ultimately fell to the New Orleans Saints.

Pederson pledged his allegiance to Wentz as the Eagles quarterback of the present and future after that, which led to Foles departing Philadelphia.

In signing with Jacksonville, Foles isn't leaving everything from his Eagles tenure behind; he will reunite with John DeFilippo, who was his quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia in 2017 and is the new Jags offensive coordinator.

Foles will take the reins for a Jacksonville team that went from reaching the AFC Championship Game in 2017 to finishing 5-11 last season. A big reason for the decline was the poor play of quarterback Blake Bortles.

Steadier production from Foles to go along with a supremely talented defense and running back Leonard Fournette could make the Jaguars one of the top candidates to bounce back and surprise in 2019, although Foles has yet to prove he can thrive outside the Eagles system.