Nick Foles
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Nicholas Edward Foles (born January 20, 1989) is an
American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team wi ...
quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
for the Indianapolis Colts of the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL). He played college football at
Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
and was selected in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
. Initially a backup, Foles was named the team's starter midway through his rookie season. He maintained his starting position through 2013, during which he set the NFL season record for the best touchdown–interception ratio and posted a perfect
passer rating Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leag ...
in a game. His success led the Eagles to a division title, while also earning him
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
honors. After an unsuccessful 2014 season, Foles was traded to the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
, where he was released after struggling in his one season. He spent the following year as a backup for the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...
. Foles returned to the Eagles in 2017 as
Carson Wentz Carson James Wentz (born December 30, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Wentz played college football at North Dakota State, where he won two consecutive NCAA FCS ...
's backup, but was promoted to starter when Wentz was injured near the end of the season. He led the Eagles throughout their playoff run, which culminated with the franchise's first Super Bowl title in
Super Bowl LII Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...
and earned him the game's MVP award. Initially returning to his backup role for 2018, Foles guided Philadelphia on another postseason run after Wentz was again lost to injury. Foles opted out of his contract with the Eagles to join the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
in 2019, but suffered an injury during the season opener that caused him to miss most of the year. He was traded in 2020 to the Chicago Bears, where he spent two seasons alternating as a backup and starter. After being released by the Bears in 2022, Foles signed with the Colts in a backup role.


Early years

Foles was born and raised in
Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
, the son of restaurateurs Larry and Melissa Foles. He graduated in 2007 from Westlake High School. A two-year starter for the football team, Foles threw for 5,658 yards and 56 touchdowns, breaking most school records previously held by Foles' future NFL opponent,
Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...
. Foles also excelled at
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...
, where he started three years, twice received team MVP honors, and was recruited by Georgetown, Baylor, and Texas. He also played high school football with
Justin Tucker Justin Paul Tucker (born November 21, 1989) is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas and was signed by the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2012 ...
, kicker for the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays it ...
, and Kyle Adams, a former tight end for the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
and Chicago Bears. Foles originally committed to
Arizona State Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
, but later decided to attend
Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
. He ultimately transferred to the
University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...
.


College career

Foles attended
Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
for one year. He appeared in a game against Alabama–Birmingham, where he completed 5 of 8 passes for 57 yards. After one year at Michigan State, Foles transferred to the
University of Arizona The University of Arizona (Arizona, U of A, UArizona, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Tucson, Arizona. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, it was the first university in the Arizona Territory. T ...
and had to
redshirt Redshirt, Red Shirt, or Redshirts may refer to: Entertainment * ''Red Shirts'' (film), a 1952 film about Anita Garibaldi by Franco Rossi * Redshirt (stock character), originally derived from ''Star Trek'', a stock character who dies soon after ...
his 2008 freshman season. After quarterback Willie Tuitama graduated, Foles competed with expected successor Matt Scott, who got the nod after spring practice because the coaches believed he could run effectively as well as pass. Despite victories against
Central Michigan Central Michigan, also called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As its name implies, it is the middle area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and Mid Michigan cor ...
and
Northern Arizona Northern Arizona is an unofficial, colloquially-defined region of the U.S. state of Arizona. Generally consisting of Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo, and Gila counties, the region is geographically dominated by the Colorado Plateau, the sout ...
, Scott struggled against Iowa and the next week was benched in favor of Foles. In Corvallis, Foles led the Wildcats to a victory against
Oregon State Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering col ...
. He started the rest of the season, completing 260 of 409 pass attempts for 2,486 yards, 19 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. As a redshirt junior in 2010, Foles was the unquestioned starter. Foles led the Wildcats to a 7–1 start, including a victory against #9
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...
on national television. Foles led the game-winning drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Bug Wright. A knee injury in the Washington State game sidelined him for two games, but Foles finished off his junior year with 3,191 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. During the 2011 season, Foles completed 387 of 560 passes for 4,334 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ranked first in the Pac-12 Conference and fifth among all
NCAA Division I FBS The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
players with an average of 352.58 yards of
total offense Total offense (or total offence) is a gridiron football statistic representing the total number of yards rushing and yards passing by a team or player. Total offense differs from yards from scrimmage, which gives credit for passing yardage to the ...
per game. He also ranked second in the Pac-12 and 20th among all FBS players in total passing yardage. Foles graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in communications.


Statistics


Professional career


Philadelphia Eagles


2012 season

Foles was selected by the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
in the third round as the 88th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on May 21, 2012. Despite speculation that Foles would start the Eagles' ''
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...
'' game against the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
on November 5 (Week 9), Eagles coach
Andy Reid Andrew Walter Reid (born March 19, 1958) is an American football coach who is the head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Reid was previously head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles from 1999 to 2012. From 200 ...
stated that Vick would start that game. The following week against the division rival
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
, after Vick left the game in the second quarter with concussion symptoms, Foles made his NFL debut. Foles threw his first career touchdown pass to wide receiver
Jeremy Maclin Jeremy Maclin (born May 11, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Missouri, where he was a two-time consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2009 NF ...
for 44 yards and finished with 22 completed passes out of 32 attempts for 219 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. With Philadelphia behind 31–23 in the last minute, Foles lost the ball as he was sacked, and Jason Hatcher of the Cowboys recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchdown. Vick was eventually ruled out of the following game against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
in Week 11, and Foles made his first career start. Philadelphia lost to the Redskins 31–6, and Foles was 21-for-47 in passing 204 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. On Monday, December 3, 2012, Eagles coach Andy Reid announced that Foles would start for the rest of the year, regardless of when Vick returned from a concussion. The following Week 14 game on December 9, Foles earned his first win as a starter in the Eagles' 23–21 win over the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
. With two seconds remaining on the clock and Philadelphia down 21–16 at the Bucs' one-yard line, Foles threw a 1-yard pass to
Jeremy Maclin Jeremy Maclin (born May 11, 1988) is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Missouri, where he was a two-time consensus All-American, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the first round of the 2009 NF ...
for the game-winning touchdown as time expired. Foles completed 32-of-51 passes for 381 yards and two touchdowns – both coming in the final four minutes. He also had 27 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. On December 23, Foles broke his hand against the Redskins, and was replaced by Vick in the season finale against the New York Giants. On December 26, Foles was placed on injured reserve.


2013 season

Going into training camp, new head coach
Chip Kelly Charles Edward Kelly (born November 25, 1963) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the UCLA Bruins. He came to prominence as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks from 2009 to 2012, whom he led to four consecutive BCS bowl ga ...
announced that Foles would compete with Vick and newly drafted rookie
Matt Barkley Matthew Montgomery Barkley (born September 8, 1990) is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at USC, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth roun ...
for the Eagles starting quarterback job in the 2013 season. Going into preseason, it became clear that the job was a two-way battle between Foles and Vick. Foles played average during preseason while Vick excelled past him. On August 20, it was announced that Vick would start the season and Foles would be the backup. Foles saw his first game in action during a Week 4 loss against the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
. He completed 3 out of 4 attempted passes for a total of 49 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions. On October 6, Foles entered the game against the New York Giants in the second quarter, after Vick suffered a hamstring injury. Foles completed 16 of 25 passes for 197 yards and 2 touchdowns, leading the Eagles to a 36–21 win over the Giants. Later in the week, it was announced that Foles would get the start in Week 6 against the 0–4
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, after Vick was declared unable to start due to his injury. In his Week 6 start on October 13, Foles had one of the best starts of his career, completing 22 of 31 passes for 296 yards and 4 total touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) in a 31–20 win over the Bucs, a performance that earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week. On October 15, Vick announced that he needed another week of rehab before he was able to start again, making Foles the starter for the Week 7 matchup against the
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divi ...
for the division lead. However, against the Cowboys, Foles completed only 11 of 29 passes for a total of 80 yards, with no touchdowns. In that same game, Foles left in the 4th quarter after suffering a head injury, and was replaced by rookie Matt Barkley. Barkley did not perform well either, throwing 3 interceptions. The Eagles went on to lose 17–3 to the Cowboys thus dropping to 3–4 on the season and 1 game out of first place. The next day, Foles was diagnosed with a concussion and ruled out of any participation in the Week 8 matchup against the Giants on medical grounds. Foles was given his third start of the season for Week 9 against the Oakland Raiders. Foles threw for seven touchdowns, tying a record held by six other quarterbacks (held by eight QB's as of 2020). Foles is one of three quarterbacks to throw seven touchdowns and no interceptions; he also amassed a perfect passer rating (158.3), having thrown more touchdown passes than incompletions. Foles was awarded his second NFC Offensive Player of the Week Award of the season for his performance against the Raiders. In Week 10 of the regular season, Foles played in his sixth game of the season (four starts) against the Green Bay Packers. Coming into the game, the Eagles had lost to the Packers on the last three occasions the teams had met (including post season). Foles completed 12 out of 18 passes for a total of 228 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions. His passer rating was extremely high for the second consecutive week, finishing at 149.3 and becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to post passer ratings above 149 in consecutive weeks. Foles carried 8 times during the game, including a 16 yard long run, finishing the game with 38 yards total and one fumble lost. The Eagles won the game 27–13 and moved to 5–5. Foles continued as the starting quarterback in Week 11 of the regular season against the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
at home. For the sixth time this season, Foles’ passer rating eclipsed 100, as he completed 17 of his 26 attempts for 298 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. Foles rushed the ball on 9 occasions during the game, ending with 47 total yards and a rushing touchdown. He led the Eagles to a 24–0 lead at the end of the third quarter, before a comeback from the Redskins meant the game finished 24–16. The win moved the Eagles to an overall record of 6–5–0 and first position in the NFC East. The Eagles had not won at
Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is an American football stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It serves as the home stadium of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) and the Temple Owls football team of Temple University. ...
in 413 days since defeating the New York Giants on September 30, 2012; ending a streak of 10 consecutive home defeats. On November 27, Foles was named the NFC Player of the Month for his play during the month of November. The Eagles did not have a game scheduled for Week 12 of the regular season as they went into a bye week. The team returned to action on Sunday, December 1, for a home game against the Arizona Cardinals. Following their bye week, the Eagles had slipped into 2nd place in the divisional standings behind fierce rivals the Cowboys. Foles was named as the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season, a decision which Vick (who began the year as the number one quarterback) fully agreed with. For the seventh time this season, Foles's passer rating eclipsed 100, as he completed 21 of 34 attempted passes for a total of 237 yards, with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed for 22 yards on 9 attempts and fumbled on one occasion, although this was recovered by his teammates – and did not result in a turnover. Following a closely contested game, the Eagles held on to win 24–21 despite a fourth quarter comeback by
Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...
. Foles set a team record for most passes without an interception (233), breaking Michael Vick's mark of 224 set in 2010. He also moved within one touchdown pass of the record 20 straight touchdown passes set by Peyton Manning and zero interceptions to start a season before throwing an interception in a blizzard game in Philadelphia against the Detroit Lions in which the Eagles won 34–20. The win took the Eagles to an overall record of 8–5 and surpassed Dallas for the number one spot in the NFC East. A week later in Minnesota, the team's five game winning streak was snapped with a loss to Minnesota. However, Foles again had another impressive game with yet another passer rating over 100 and three more touchdowns and only his second interception of the season. The following week, the Eagles defeated the Chicago Bears 54–11, which saw another passer rating over 100 and a completion of 84.0% of his passes, a career-high. Foles helped lead the Eagles to their first NFC East division title in three years by beating the Cowboys in the regular season finale. Foles had his ninth game with a passer rating over 100. Foles finished the 2013 regular season with 27 touchdown passes and only 2 interceptions, surpassing
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
's 2010 season posting of 36/4 for the best TD-INT ratio in NFL history, and a season leading 119.0 passer rating and third in NFL history trailing only to Aaron Rodgers' 122.5 rating in 2011 and Peyton Manning's 121.1 rating in 2004. Foles led the Eagles to a playoff berth, the first since 2010. Hosting the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles lost on a last-minute field goal as the game ended at 26–24. Foles threw for 195 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions, for a passer rating of 105.0, in his postseason debut. Foles was awarded the "NFL Greatness on the Road" award for his seven touchdown, perfect game performance against the Oakland Raiders during a road game in 2013. When including postseason games, Nick Foles maintains the single season record for TD-INT ration at 14.5–1, which he achieved by posting 27 touchdown passes in the 2013 regular season, two touchdown passes in the 2013 postseason, and a total of just two interceptions. Foles was also assigned to the 2014
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
as an alternate and was drafted by Team Sanders. Despite losing the game, Foles went 7 for 10 for 89 yards and a go-ahead touchdown. Foles won the Pro Bowl Offensive MVP award, which included a new GMC truck.


2014 season

Going into 2014, Chip Kelly had released Foles' top receiver,
DeSean Jackson DeSean William Jackson (born December 1, 1986) is an American football wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears, where he was recognized as a con ...
, but Jeremy Maclin, who had good chemistry with Foles in 2012, returned from an ACL tear and had a career season, gaining 702 yards and six touchdowns with Foles as quarterback, finishing with 1,318 yards and ten scores. He was also aided by rookie receiver Jordan Matthews, second year tight end Zach Ertz, and veteran running back
Darren Sproles Darren Lee Sproles (born June 20, 1983) is an American football executive and former running back and return specialist who is a personnel consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...
. Foles and the Eagles kicked off their 2014 season with a Week 1 home matchup against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
. Foles started the game poorly, losing 2 fumbles and throwing an interception in the first half. Foles only lost two fumbles and threw two interceptions the entire 2013 season. The Eagles defense also performed poorly, as they trailed 17–0 after the first half. However, the Eagles roared back in the second half, scoring 34 unanswered points to defeat the Jags 34–17. Overall, Foles completed 24 of 45 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns, along with the three turnovers. Foles led the Eagles to a 30–27 win over the Colts after trailing by as much as 20–6 early in the third. Foles went 21–37, passing for 331 yards, one touchdown, and one interception during the game. Foles played his best game of the season in a 37–34 win over the division rival
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. Foles fought off the slow starts of games past, a strong Washington defensive front seven, and a brutal blindside hit from Washington defensive lineman Chris Baker which resulted in a major brawl between both teams and causing Eagles left tackle
Jason Peters Jason Raynard Peters (born January 22, 1982) is an American football offensive tackle for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arkansas and signed with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free ag ...
, the strongest player in their line, and Baker to be ejected from the game. Foles finished the game completing 66 percent of his passes, going for 325 yards and three touchdowns. In Week 8, Foles set a franchise record for most completions in a game with 36 and threw a career-high 62 times in a close loss to the Arizona Cardinals, finishing with 411 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. The following week in a game against the Houston Texans, Foles left the game during the first half with a broken
collarbone The clavicle, or collarbone, is a slender, S-shaped long bone approximately 6 inches (15 cm) long that serves as a strut between the shoulder blade and the sternum (breastbone). There are two clavicles, one on the left and one on the right ...
, which led to Foles being put on injured reserve, ending his 2014 season.
Mark Sanchez Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC) and was draft ...
finished out the season as the Eagles starting quarterback. After a league-best 27–2 TD-INT ratio in 2013, Foles finished the season with 2,163 yards in 8 games, and a 13–10 TD-INT ratio. He also fumbled 4 times, only recovering it once. Overall, all of his stats were narrowly beaten by Sanchez, including turnovers (14–11 TD–INT ratio). He led the team to a 6–2 record as starter, first place in the NFC East and second place in the NFC.


St. Louis Rams

On March 10, 2015, the Eagles traded Foles, a 2015 fourth-round pick, and a 2016 second-round pick to the
St. Louis Rams The St. Louis Rams were a professional American football team of the National Football League (NFL). They played in St. Louis from 1995 to the 2015 season, before moving back to Los Angeles, where the team had played from 1946 to 1994. The arr ...
in exchange for
Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the ...
and a 2015 fifth-round pick. Foles signed a two-year, $24.5 million extension with the Rams on August 7, 2015. Foles's first game with the team came against the division rival Seattle Seahawks, who had the league's No. 1 defense in 2013 and 2014. Foles went 18 for 27 and passed for 297 yards in the game, and his lone passing touchdown came with 53 seconds left, bringing the game into overtime. He also ran for 11 yards and 1 touchdown, which put the Rams in the lead in the middle of the second quarter. In overtime, Foles threw a 22-yard pass to wide receiver Stedman Bailey, which set up the Rams' game-winning field goal over the defending NFC Champions. Following the dramatic win, Foles struggled against his former divisional rival, the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
. Although he didn't turn the ball over, he only completed 17 passes out of 32 for 150 yards and the Rams lone touchdown as they lost 24–10. Foles' accuracy improved the following week, going 19–28 for 197 yards, but he threw no touchdowns and his first interception as a Ram against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Rams dropped to 1–2. Following the two losses, Foles bounced back, going 16–24 for 3 touchdowns and no turnovers to hand the 3–0 Arizona Cardinals their first loss of the season. After that game, Foles' problems with turnovers from 2014 started to show, as he completed 11 passes out of 30 for 141 yards, 1 touchdown, and a career-high 4 interceptions against the Green Bay Packers. On November 16, Foles was benched in favor of Case Keenum. He won his starting job back two weeks later after Keenum was out with a concussion, but his struggles worsened. In a loss against Cincinnati Bengals, he went 30–46 for 228 yards (his second highest total of the year) and 3 interceptions, and followed it up by going 15/35 for 146 yards and 1 interception in a 27–3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Foles was again benched after Keenum returned from his concussion. Upset that the now- Los Angeles Rams drafted quarterback
Jared Goff Jared Thomas Goff (born October 14, 1994) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at California, where he set the Pac-12 Conference season records for passi ...
as the first overall pick of the
2016 NFL draft The 2016 NFL Draft was the 81st annual meeting of National Football League (NFL) franchises to select newly eligible American football players. As in 2015 NFL Draft, 2015, the draft took place at the Auditorium Theatre and Grant Park (Chicago), ...
, Foles requested and was granted a release on July 27, 2016.


Kansas City Chiefs

After reportedly contemplating retirement after his rough season with the Rams, Foles signed with the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...
on August 3, 2016. It was a one-year deal worth $1.75 million and included a second-year option for 2017, worth between $6.75 million and $16 million depending on his performance during the Chiefs' 2016 season. In Week 8 at Indianapolis Colts after
Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the 2 ...
left the game with a concussion, Foles took over for the remainder of the game, and finished with 223 yards and two touchdowns. The Chiefs announced that Foles would start in Week 9 against the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
as Smith was still recovering from injury. Foles won the game over the Jaguars, 19–14, and finished 20–33 with 187 yards and a touchdown. The next day, Smith was announced to start Week 10. On March 9, 2017, the Chiefs declined a second-year option on his contract, making him a free agent.


Return to the Philadelphia Eagles


2017 season: Super Bowl LII MVP

On March 13, 2017, Foles signed a two-year contract to return to the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
to back up 2016 first-round pick
Carson Wentz Carson James Wentz (born December 30, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). Wentz played college football at North Dakota State, where he won two consecutive NCAA FCS ...
. During Week 14 against the Los Angeles Rams, Foles came in relief of Wentz, who left the game with a torn ACL. Foles completed 6 of 10 passes for 42 yards as the Eagles won 43–35, clinching their first division title since 2013. On December 11, 2017, head coach
Doug Pederson Douglas Irvin Pederson (born January 31, 1968) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). Pederson spent most of his 13-season playing career ...
announced that Foles would be the starter after Wentz was ruled out for the season. Starting his first game of the season in Week 15, Foles threw for 237 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 34–29 victory over the New York Giants. The next week, he helped the Eagles defeat the Raiders in Week 16 by a score of 19–10. He was 19-of-38 for 163 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He had a limited role to avoid injury in the regular season finale, a 6–0 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. On January 13, 2018, the Eagles defeated the Atlanta Falcons 15–10 in the NFC Divisional playoff game, with Foles completing 23 of 30 passes for 246 yards. This was the Eagles' first playoff victory in nine seasons. On January 21, 2018, the Eagles defeated the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, 38–7, in the NFC Championship Game, with Foles going 26 of 33 for 352 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Vikings were 3-point favorites with the league's top-ranked defense entering the game. In
Super Bowl LII Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conferen ...
, Foles caught a touchdown pass from tight end
Trey Burton Lawrence Godfrey "Trey" Burton III, (born October 29, 1991) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Florida and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free age ...
, becoming the first player to both throw and catch a touchdown pass in a Super Bowl, while also being the third quarterback to catch a pass in a Super Bowl, after John Elway in Super Bowl XXII and
Jim Kelly James Edward Kelly (born February 14, 1960) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also spent two seasons with the Houston Gamblers of the United Stat ...
in Super Bowl XXVI. The Eagles defeated the New England Patriots 41–33 to win their first Super Bowl. Foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 interception, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the game.


2018 season

On April 20, 2018, Foles and the Eagles agreed on a new revised contract that would contain a $2 million bonus and millions of dollars in incentives if he were to become the starting quarterback, as well as a mutual option for 2019. On September 3, 2018, Foles was named the starter for the season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, as Wentz was not yet medically cleared for contact. Foles led the Eagles to a 1–1 record through two games, with 1 touchdown pass, 1 interception, and a 78.9
passer rating Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Leag ...
, before Wentz returned as the starter for Week 3. On December 12, 2018, it was announced that Wentz would probably sit out due to a back injury in the Week 15 game against the Los Angeles Rams, thus giving Foles his third start of the season. Foles started as expected and threw for 277 yards with 24 completions on 31 pass attempts and one interception in a 30–23 win. In Week 16, Foles started against the Houston Texans, and threw for 471 yards with 35 completions on 49 pass attempts and four touchdowns with one interception in a 32–30 victory, a performance which earned him the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award. The 471 yards broke Donovan McNabb's record for most passing yards by an Eagles quarterback in a single game. On December 30, in a Week 17 game with the
Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
, Foles tied the NFL record for consecutive pass completions with 25 in a row, while the Eagles clinched a playoff berth. In the Wild Card playoff game against the Chicago Bears at
Soldier Field Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since ...
, Foles led the Eagles on a game-winning touchdown drive that culminated with a pass to Golden Tate with 56 seconds left in the game as the Eagles won 16–15 and advanced to play the top-seeded
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...
in the Divisional Round. Against the Saints, Foles threw a touchdown pass on the game's opening drive, and scored another on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter, but the Saints came back to take a 20–14 lead. Late in the game, on what would turn out to be the Eagles last offensive possession, Foles threw a pass that went through receiver
Alshon Jeffery Alshon Jeffery (born February 14, 1990) is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at South Carolina, and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. As a member of the ...
's hands and was intercepted by Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, which allowed the Saints to run out the clock and win. On January 19, 2019, the Eagles announced they would pay Foles the $1 million bonus for playing 33 percent of the Eagles' snaps while the team made the playoffs, even though Foles missed the mark by four plays (32.69 percent). On February 5, 2019, the Eagles announced that they would pick up the $20 million option on Foles' contract. The same day, however, Foles informed the Eagles that he would void the option, making him a free agent.


Jacksonville Jaguars

On March 13, 2019, Foles signed a four-year contract worth $88 million with the
Jacksonville Jaguars The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jaguars compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team pla ...
. $50.1 million was guaranteed and could pay up to $102 million with incentives. In Week 1 of the 2019 season, Foles started the game against the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The ...
completing 5 of 8 passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, but suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter and was ruled out the rest of the game. Later that day, it was revealed that Foles had suffered a broken left clavicle and underwent surgery the next day. He was designated for return from injured reserve on October 23, 2019, and began practicing with the team. On November 5, Foles was activated and was named the starting quarterback over rookie
Gardner Minshew Gardner Flint Minshew II (born May 16, 1996) is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He began his college football career at Northwest Mississippi, winning the NJCAA National Footba ...
, who had been filling in for him as the starter. Foles made his return from injury in Week 11 against the Indianapolis Colts. In the game, Foles threw for 296 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 33–13 loss. In Week 13 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
, Foles completed 7 of 14 passes for just 93 yards with one interception and no touchdowns (and also losing 2 fumbles) before being benched for Minshew after the Jaguars were losing by a score of 25–0 at halftime. Without Foles, the Jaguars went on to lose the game 28–11. Days after the game, head coach
Doug Marrone Douglas Charles Marrone (born July 25, 1964) is an American football coach and former offensive lineman who is the offensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the head coach a ...
announced that Foles would be benched and Minshew would retake the starting job. Foles would finish the 2019 season with only four starts in four games, throwing for three touchdowns and two interceptions.


Chicago Bears

Foles was traded to the Chicago Bears in exchange for a compensatory fourth-round 2020 NFL Draft pick on March 31, 2020. He competed with Mitchell Trubisky for the starting quarterback position during Training Camp, eventually losing and becoming the backup. After not seeing action in the first two games of the 2020 season, Foles replaced a struggling Trubisky in the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons as the Bears trailed by 16 points. Foles completed 16 of 29 passes for 188 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception as he led a 30–26 comeback victory. A day after the win, Foles was officially named the starter. In Week 5 against the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
on ''Thursday Night Football'', Foles threw for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception during the 20–19 win. It was Foles' first win as the Bears' starting quarterback. In Week 9 against the
Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Titans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division, and play their hom ...
, Foles threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns during the 24–17 loss. In Week 10 against the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
on ''Monday Night Football'', Foles threw for 106 yards and an interception before suffering a hip injury that required him to be carted off the field after being slammed to the turf late in the fourth quarter. He was replaced by his backup
Tyler Bray Tyler Ian Bray (born December 27, 1991) is an American football quarterback who is a free agent. After playing his college football at the University of Tennessee, he declared himself eligible for the 2013 NFL Draft, in which he went undrafted. ...
with 34 seconds left during the 19–13 loss. With Foles recovering from his injury, Trubisky returned to the starting position for the following game against the Green Bay Packers. Once again the backup, Foles did not see action until Week 16 in
Jacksonville Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
when he took over during
garbage time In sports, garbage time is the period toward the end of a timed sports competition that has become a blowout when the outcome of the game has effectively already been decided, and the coaches of one or both teams will decide to replace their best ...
in the fourth quarter; he mostly handed off the ball and his lone pass attempt was incomplete as the Bears defeated his former team 41–17. After being the third string quarterback throughout most of the 2021 season, Foles made his first start in Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks due to
Justin Fields Justin Skyler Fields (born March 5, 1999) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Following a stint with Georgia, he played college football at Ohio State, where he twice won Graham–G ...
and
Andy Dalton Andrew Gregory Dalton (born October 29, 1987) is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Nicknamed "Red Rifle", Dalton previously played for the Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, and ...
dealing with injuries. Foles threw for 250 yards and the game winning touchdown to
Jimmy Graham Jimmy Graham (born November 24, 1986) is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played only one year of college football at University of Miami after playing four years of basketball. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in ...
in the 25–24 win. Foles was released on May 1, 2022.


Indianapolis Colts

Foles signed a two-year contract with the Indianapolis Colts on May 23, 2022. After spending the first fifteen weeks as a backup, only appearing on two snaps, he was named the Colts' starter for their Week 16 game against the
Los Angeles Chargers The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division, and ...
.


NFL career statistics


Regular season


Postseason


Career awards and highlights

* Super Bowl champion ( LII) * Super Bowl MVP ( LII) *
Pro Bowl The National Football League All-Star Game (1939–1942), Pro Bowl (1951–2022), or Pro Bowl Games (starting in 2023) is an annual event held by the National Football League (NFL) featuring the league's star players. The format has changed thro ...
selection (
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
) * Pro Bowl Offensive MVP (
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
) * NFL Passer rating leader (
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
) * NFL record seven touchdown passes in a game (tied) * NFL record highest completion percentage in a game with 7 TD passes: 78.57 (2013) * NFL record most passing touchdowns (7) with a perfect passer rating (158.3) in a game (2013) * NFL record best touchdown pass–interception differential in a single game: 7 TDs, 0 INTs (2013) (tied) * Highest career passer rating in Eagles franchise history: 92.9 *NFL record most consecutive pass completions (25) (tied with
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was se ...
and
Ryan Tannehill Ryan Timothy Tannehill III (born July 27, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas A&M, where he was a wide receiver until his junior year, an ...
) *NFL record most consecutive pass completions (25) in one game (tied with Philip Rivers)


Personal life

Foles is a Christian. In 2018, he was working online as a graduate student at
Liberty University Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia ( Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Lib ...
, earning his
master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
in
divinity Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine< ...
. He has stated that he plans to become a
pastor A pastor (abbreviated as "Pr" or "Ptr" , or "Ps" ) is the leader of a Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutheranism, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and ...
after his football career, saying, "I want to be a pastor ..I took a leap of faith last year and signed up to take classes at seminary. I wanted to continue to learn and challenge my faith. It's a challenge because you are writing papers that are biblically correct." Foles married Tori Moore, who is the younger sister of former NFL tight end
Evan Moore Evan James Moore (born January 3, 1985) is a former American football tight end in the National Football League (NFL) and current TV football analyst. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2008 out of Stanford Uni ...
, in 2014. Moore and Foles were briefly teammates with the Eagles in 2012. The couple's daughter was born in 2017. Their son was born on June 19, 2020. While playing for the Eagles, Foles lived in
Haddonfield, New Jersey :''Not the fictional Illinois town from the Halloween film series.'' Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593,
, but put the home up for sale after signing with the Jaguars in 2019. Foles then purchased a home in
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Ponte Vedra Beach is a wealthy unincorporated seaside community and suburb of Jacksonville, Florida in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located southeast of downtown Jacksonville and north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jackson ...
that same year, but put it up for sale in 2020 after he was traded to the Bears. In 2020, he purchased a home in Glencoe, Illinois for $2.8 million. In 2018, he wrote his autobiography, ''Believe It: My Journey of Success, Failure, and Overcoming the Odds'', which debuted at No. 5 on the New York Times best-seller list. He donated the proceeds of the book to charity. Foles also has his own charitable foundation called the Foles Believe Foundation.


References


External links

*
Indianapolis Colts bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foles, Nick 1989 births Living people American Christians American football quarterbacks American philanthropists Arizona Wildcats football players Chicago Bears players Indianapolis Colts players Jacksonville Jaguars players Kansas City Chiefs players Liberty University alumni Michigan State Spartans football players People from Haddonfield, New Jersey Philadelphia Eagles players Players of American football from Austin, Texas St. Louis Rams players Super Bowl MVPs Unconferenced Pro Bowl players Westlake High School (Texas) alumni