Quarterback leads team to season success

Ashley Miller, Senior Staff Writer

The Philadelphia Eagles finished the 2018 season on top of the world with second-string quarterback, Nick Foles, leading the path to unexpected triumph.

Over the past two years, Foles has proven himself to be an essential asset for Philadelphia.

In 2017, Foles took over for the Eagles’ starting quarterback and MVP candidate, Carson Wentz, who went down late in the season with a torn ACL.

Philly fans, including myself, were concerned when Foles was thrown into such an important game against the Los Angeles Rams Dec. 10.

Foles stepped up and helped the Eagles to a surprising 43-35 win, clinching the NFC East title.

Philadelphia first drafted Foles in 2012 as a backup for Michael Vick.

The Eagles dropped Foles in 2015 where he was picked up by the St. Louis Rams and then the Kansas City Chiefs in 2016.

After his release from the Chiefs, Foles considered retiring.

“I couldn’t pick up a football. I had no love for the game,” Foles said during a February 2017 press conference with the Eagles.

Despite this, in March 2017 Foles signed a two-year contract with the Eagles as a backup quarterback again.

After Foles’ performance against the Rams, Philly head coach Doug Pederson announced that Foles would be the starter for the remainder of the 2017 season.

After becoming the number one QB, Foles led the team on a remarkable streak, leading Philly to the playoffs and Super Bowl LII.

The Eagles beat the New England Patriots 41-33 to win their first Super Bowl, according to NFL.com.

Foles became the first player in NFL history to both throw and catch a pass in the Super Bowl. Additionally, he was named MVP of the game, according to ESPN.

The 2018 season began with Foles in the front seat, but Carson Wentz was quickly reinstated as QB after returning from medical leave.

Wentz and the team were not performing at the high level that they had been in the previous season, resulting in a 6-7 record before Foles was re-established as the starter.

When Philly announced that Wentz would be sitting due to injury, the city was encompassed in a surreal sense of deja vu and wondered if Foles could help the team get back on route.

After beating the odds, Philly made it to the playoffs.

Unfortunately, the Eagles fell to the New Orleans Saints Jan. 13.

While it rang as a deeply saddening defeat for supporters wearing green and white that Sunday, fans, reporters, team members and the public came to Foles’ side and thanked him for his time with the Eagles.

After considering retirement, he returned to the field, won a super bowl, was named MVP and led the Eagles to the playoffs for a second-year.

Fans wonder what Foles will do now, as his two-year-contract is over.

Carson Wentz is being paid too much not to start next season, and it’s financially unrealistic to keep Foles on the roster.

The Eagles would have to come up with about $20 million, which is far higher than a standard backup’s salary.

Additionally, Foles will most likely want to see what he can receive as a starter on the open market.

Some of the teams who could be interested in Foles include the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos and possibly the Saints or Patriots, depending on the Super Bowl’s outcome.

The overarching feeling from Philly fans is wanting the best for our humble savior, St. Nick, and hoping the best for his future in the NFL.