There has been no more transformational figure in the Philadelphia sports scene in the 21st century than Nick Foles. Was he the most talented player the city’s seen over the last few decades? Certainly not. Did he play here a long time? Even across two different stints in midnight green, the answer is no. He did, however, change everything for the Eagles, who sit at the center of Philly’s entire ecosystem.
It’s funny how the entire Foles saga unfolded, especially on a personal level.
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I couldn’t have been more all-in on him and the Chip Kelly era overall in 2013. I couldn’t wait for him to be gone after his uninspired play in 2014. When he took over for an injured Carson Wentz in 2017 after returning to Philly in a reserve role, I did not for a second believe he could lead the Eagles to their first Super Bowl. Naturally, he did just that, legitimately playing two of the greatest playoff games any quarterback ever has along the way. His postseason heroics led me to meeting my wife at the Eagles’ first championship parade. We just moved into a new house this week as first-time homeowners. Under no circumstances has someone I’ve never met had such an impact on my life.
Simply put, Foles is a god to me.
I’ve been vocal since Foles left Philadelphia following the 2018 season that when his playing career was over, the Eagles should retire his No. 9. If you don’t believe in the concept of retiring uniform numbers overall, I understand that sentiment, but if the franchise could only retire one single number, I’d pick No. 9. He’s the most unique figure in Eagles history. He was their first Super Bowl MVP, throttling Bill Belichick’s defense and out-dueling Tom Brady in the process. I’m not even that old and it feels to me that given how fortunate we’ve been with the team’s success in the Nick Sirianni-Jalen Hurts era that we’ve forgotten what it was like for the Super Bowl to be perpetually out of reach. We were known for coming up short! We were known for disappointment! We were known for our Lombardi Trophy case being empty!
Foles, with his Super Bowl run, changed all of that, casting away generations of fans’ frustrations, tears and jeers. The Eagles are the big, bad wolves of the NFL now, but that was far from the case before Feb. 4, 2018. We were jokes. We have ascended to royalty. If Foles doesn’t play out off his mind after coming in for Wentz, none of what’s transpired since plays out the way it does.
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My Foles’ hagiography is the type of thing I never shut up about, but it’s actually become relevant again. Eagles first-round pick Makai Lemon, a star wideout from USC, will be wearing No. 9 for the Birds, Foles’ No. 9. Does it upset me? A little, but at least Lemon asked Foles for his blessing to do so. Lemon could also become a game-changing presence for the Eagles. It’s not as if the Birds just handed out No. 9 to some UDFA punter. The organization appeared to handle the situation delicately. If Lemon can ultimately match Foles’ number of Super Bowl touchdown receptions, it’ll all have been worthwhile in the end.
What does really upset me, however, is the way people who did not witness the healing power off Foles on Philadelphia as members of this community reacted to Lemon essentially needing to ask the quarterback for permission to wear No. 9. Whether it be media members with hundreds of thousands of followers or random fools from poverty franchises like the Lions or Jaguars, I saw people taking shots at the idea that Foles, of all people, would have to be asked about such a thing.
If your respect for a player boils down to merely his completion percentage or regular season record without acknowledging the totality of what Foles accomplished, what the Eagles franchise was to the average football fan before he slayed the Patriots and what that means to Philadelphia, I cannot help you. Have you never bled? Have you never cried? Have you never hoped and dreamed of something along with your family and friends that felt improbable for so long just to see it all unfold in the most spectacular fashion possible? That was the Foles experience in the winter of 2018, a euphoric experience that a whole host of clowns around the NFL world could never fathom.
I hope Lemon can provide the Eagles even a smidge of the special moments that Foles did. He certainly has the talent to do so. Everyone else out there firing off snide remarks about the Super Bowl LII MVP? You just don’t get Philly and you never will.
Check out some related discussions going on over in The Feed.
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