Nick Foles will forever hold a significant place in Philadelphia Eagles history for leading the team to its first Super Bowl victory in 2018 against the New England Patriots. The memorable “Philly Special,” where Foles caught a touchdown pass from backup tight end Trey Burton, has become a legendary moment for the franchise.
Foles recently reflected on this iconic play during his retirement press conference on Monday night, held before the Eagles faced the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field. He recounted a pivotal moment with Doug Pederson that occurred before the 2012 NFL Draft, which Foles believes was instrumental in his career.
He reminisced about a workout session with Pederson at Westlake High School, where he first met the coach. “I’ll never forget walking into the parking lot and seeing Doug sitting in his car,” Foles said. “I knocked on his window, ‘Hey, I’m Nick Foles, you’re here to work me out.’”
At that time, Pederson was the quarterbacks coach for the Eagles under head coach Andy Reid. Foles described the challenging conditions during the workout, with cold, rainy weather and some sleet. Pederson had Foles attempt a 65-yard “divide” route into the wind, a route Foles was unfamiliar with at the time, but later became one of his favorites for connecting with DeSean Jackson.
After an initial throw that fell short due to the wind, Foles feared he had blown his chance. However, Pederson encouraged him to try again, and this time Foles delivered a perfect pass that landed right into Pederson’s hands. A few days later, this led to Foles getting drafted by the Eagles in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft.
“I have to believe that moment right there with Doug culminated in me going to him in the Super Bowl,” Foles said, recalling the pivotal fourth-and-one play call, “You want Philly Philly?” He emphasized the significance of their relationship and how it shaped his career, particularly during that monumental moment.
In addition to Pederson, Foles expressed gratitude to his family, teammates, and members of the Eagles organization, including owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman. He even thanked former head coaches Reid and Chip Kelly, the latter of whom traded him to the St. Louis Rams in 2015.
“Without those moments in St. Louis with Chip trading me away, I wouldn’t have been able to do what we did in ’17,” Foles noted, acknowledging the impact of every stage of his career.
Over his 11-year NFL career, Foles had two stints with the Eagles from 2012-14 and 2017-18, also playing for the Rams, Chiefs, Jaguars, Bears, and Colts. However, Foles admitted he never found the same success elsewhere. “There was just something about wearing midnight green,” he said, expressing his appreciation for the special bond he felt with Philadelphia. “It made me a better person playing here.”
Foles reflected on his journey, acknowledging that every stop in his career had its own purpose and story, and he remains grateful for the experiences that shaped him.