A former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is now a free agent.
As the Indianapolis Colts announced on Friday, May 5, they’re releasing Nick Foles after just season.
We have released QB Nick Foles.
Why the Colts Are Releasing Nick Foles
The 34-year-old Foles signed with the Colts last offseason to reunite with his former Eagles offensive coordinator, Frank Reich. Foles signed with the intention of serving as Matt Ryan’s backup, but the season went awry.
Reich was fired after nine games and the head coaching change led to the Colts going with second-year quarterback Sam Ehlinger as the starter after Ryan’s benching. However, Ehlinger’s lackluster play in three starts and Ryan’s benching for the second time led to Foles being named the starter in Week 16.
In two starts with the Colts, Foles went 0-2 and threw zero touchdowns to four interceptions for a 34.3 passer rating last season. Foles’ release will result in a dead cap hit of $1.5 million while saving the Colts $2.1 million.
With Reich no longer the head coach in Indianapolis, the writing was on the wall for Foles to be released by the Colts.
Why Nick Foles is Considered an Eagles Great
The veteran quarterback is best known for his stints with the Eagles. Foles spent his first three seasons in Philadelphia, emerging as a Pro Bowl quarterback during the 2013 season under then-head coach Chip Kelly’s innovative no-huddle offense. Not only did Foles lead the NFL in passer rating (119.0), he also posted the third-best single season passer rating in league history up until that point. Furthermore, his 27 touchdowns and two interceptions thrown is the second-best single season TD-INT ratio in NFL history, behind Tom Brady’s 2016 season.
After he was traded from the Eagles to the Los Angeles Rams prior to the start of the 2015 season, Foles found his way back to Philadelphia prior to the start of the 2017 season as Carson Wentz’s backup. After Wentz suffered a season-ending ACL injury towards the end of the regular season, Foles became the starter entering the postseason.
Foles eventually led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl victory, completing 28-of-43 passes for 373 yards and three touchdowns in addition to catching a touchdown pass. He was named the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl LII for his performance.
During the following season, Foles once again entered the year as Wentz’s backup. However, Wentz’s back injury towards the end of the season once again cleared the path for Foles to be named the starter entering the postseason. Foles started the last three games of the regular season, leading the Eagles to another playoff berth after tying an NFL record with 25 consecutive completions in a Week 17 victory over the Washington Commanders. He also started both of Philadelphia’s postseason games before they were eliminated in the divisional round.
In the ensuing years, Foles has since bounced around from team to team, playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2019 season before spending the next two seasons as a member of the Chicago Bears.
It’s unclear where Foles’ next stop is, but it’s unlikely he’ll end up back in Philadelphia for this season. Jalen Hurts is the clear starter with former No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota being signed to serve as the backup quarterback.
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Ex-Eagles Super Bowl Hero Released by AFC Foe After 1 Season