How Saint Nick clawed his way past the Brady bunch
Rookie quarterback able to overcome adversity as Eagles dare to dream big
The path Nick Foles has taken, with all the trials and tribulations, successes and setbacks, led to his hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. Throw in the Rozelle Trophy as Super Bowl MVP, and it was quite a feat for a guy who has gone from starter to castoff, then journeyman and backup. And now to the summit of his sport.
How did it happen? Oh, sure, there was the mid-December injury to rising star Carson Wentz, with Foles stepping in and stepping up. But how, in a breathtaking championship game on Monday (NZT), did he beat Tom Brady at the five-time Super Bowl winner’s specialty, a shootout?
For Foles — and for his Philadelphia Eagles — there is one underlying theme to it all: perseverance.
“The big thing is don’t be afraid to fail,” Foles said sleepless hours after he guided the drive of a lifetime for the winning points in a 41-33 victory over league MVP Brady and the New England Patriots. “In our society, with [social media] it’s a highlight reel. I think when you have a rough day, you’re feeling you can’t — failure is a part of your life. I wouldn’t be up here if I hadn’t failed a million times.
“You share that. I’m human, not superman. When you struggle in your life, it’s an opportunity to grow. If there’s something going on in your life, embrace it.”
That’s exactly what Foles and coach Doug Pederson said was the approach throughout the 2017 season by the Eagles. They had gone 7-9 the previous year with rookie Wentz as the starter. He improved meteorically this season and was a leading MVP contender before tearing up his knee in week 14. That was one of many key injuries the Eagles had to deal with on the road to their first title of the Super Bowl era and first NFL crown since 1960.
Veteran tackle Jason Peters, versatile running back Darren Sproles, specials teams ace Chris Maragos and starting linebacker Jordan Hicks all were lost for the season. Adversity. “It’s tough,” said Pederson, whose willingness to stay aggressive was a major reason the Eagles won the NFC East at 13-3, then won three more times in the post-season. “It’s something you spend a lot of time thinking about how you want to talk to the team. Part of it was entrusting the players a little bit, allow them to sort of embrace it and the mentality.”
Foles, of course, was the next man behind centre. He was hardly a stopgap, though, and Pederson recognised that.
The coach went back to tapes of Foles’ work with the Eagles under Chip Kelly, and then to his games with the Rams and Chiefs. Pederson made some adjustments to fit what made Foles most comfortable — the wheel route to backs and tight ends was particularly effective for Foles — and then turned loose his No 2 QB.
“It was just a matter of him spending time with the guys, take a lot of repetitions in practice,” Pederson said. “We knew in the building we’d be okay with him.” ‘next man up’
Okay? The Eagles are NFL champions.
“I think this team is full of great character men,” said Pederson. “Not having selfish coaches and players gives you a chance to win this game.”
That leaves the question of Foles’ future. He’s under contract for one more year and the Eagles can afford to keep him. Wentz clearly is the franchise QB, though his rehab could make him unavailable for much of the pre-season.
“I knew I couldn’t get off the stage” without being asked about the quarterback situation, Pederson joked yesterday. “We’ll just enjoy this moment, celebrate it with our fans in Philly. It’s not about one guy, it’s about the team.” SQUASH TENNIS