Former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles has elected to hang up his cleats.
Foles announced on X (formerly Twitter) on August 8 that he has decided not to continue pursuing another NFL gig. Instead, he will officially retire from the NFL after 11 seasons.
“After much thought and prayer, I’ve decided to retire from the NFL,” Foles wrote. “It’s been an incredible 11-year journey filled with unforgettable moments and amazing people. From being drafted by the Eagles to winning the Super Bowl, every step has been a blessing.
“I’m excited to spend more time with my family and embrace the next chapter of my life. Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, team staff, and fans for your unwavering support. I am forever grateful.”
Foles also included a 2-minute video in his post on X.
After much thought and prayer, I’ve decided to retire from the NFL. It’s been an incredible 11-year journey filled with unforgettable moments and amazing people. From being drafted by the Eagles to winning the Super Bowl, every step has been a blessing.
I’m excited to spend more…
Foles experienced two different stints with the Eagles. First, he played his first three years in Philadelphia after the team drafted him in the third round of the 2012 NFL draft.
He returned to the Eagles in 2017, where he assumed a backup role to Carson Wentz. After Wentz suffered a season-ending injury, Foles led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl title and won Super Bowl MVP.
Foles also won a playoff game for the Eagles in 2018.
He finished his career playing for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022. Foles wasn’t on an NFL roster for the 2023 season.
Over his 11-year career, Foles played for six teams — the Eagles, Colts, then St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Chicago Bears.
Five of his 11 seasons were spent with the Eagles. The only other team Foles played multiple seasons with was the Bears.
Nick Foles Announces NFL Retirement
Foles posted a perfectly even 29-29 record as an NFL starter. But excluding teams where he made fewer than two starts, the Eagles were the only place where Foles had a winning record.
In Philadelphia, Foles went 21-11 as a starter, including 20-6 after his rookie season.
Just about all of Foles top individual accomplishments happened with the Eagles too. He tied an NFL record with 7 touchdown passes in Week 9 of the 2013 season. During that campaign, Foles was first in the NFL with a 9.1 yards per pass average.
Foles led the Eagles to a 6-2 start in 2014. However, he suffered a broken collarbone in Week 9. After finishing the season on injured reserve, the Eagles traded him to the Rams as part of a package to land Sam Bradford. With the Rams in 2015, Foles registered a 4-7 record.
Two years later, Foles returned to Philadelphia as a backup quarterback. This time, he entered the starting lineup because of a Wentz injury. Foles led the Eagles to a 5-1 mark including the playoffs.
In the Super Bowl, Foles outdueled Tom Brady, throwing for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns while also recording a receiving touchdown on a trick play called on a fourth-down attempt near the goal line. That play is now referred to as, “The Philly Special.”
Foles started five regular season games for Wentz in 2018, going 4-1. The Eagles then upset the Bears in the NFC wild card round during the 2018-19 postseason with Foles behind center.
Foles Finished NFL Career With Uneventful Colts Tenure
After his second successful Eagles tenure, Foles signed a big contract to become the Jaguars starter. But he suffered another broken collarbone in Week 1 and only started four games in Jacksonville. He didn’t win any of those starts.
Foles received another starting opportunity with the Bears in 2020, but he led the team to a 2-5 mark. He mostly served as backup to Justin Fields for the 2021 season in Chicago.
Foles made his last two NFL starts with the Colts in 2022. He was expected to serve as a sounding board and reliable backup to Matt Ryan that season, but things quickly fell apart for Indianapolis in 2022.
Under interim head coach Jeff Saturday, Foles made two starts in Week 16 and 17, where he took a lot of punishment behind Indianapolis’ struggling offensive line. Foles left Week 17 with an injury and didn’t return.
That apparently will be his final NFL appearance.
In 40 games for the Eagles, Foles completed 62.9% of his passes for an average of 7.3 yards per attempt. He threw for 8,703 yards and 58 touchdowns with 23 interceptions.
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Ex-Eagles Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles Makes Final Call on 2024 Season