Getty Tom Brady and Nick Foles shook hands prior to the Super Bowl they played in -- but not after.
Every time Tom Brady does anything noteworthy, Nick Foles’ name starts trending on Twitter. It’s the biggest back-handed compliment in the history of sports. On Tuesday, Foles flipped the script.
Brady officially announced his retirement from the NFL on February 1 after 72 hours of speculation. The seven-time world champion posted a heartfelt farewell message on social media, one that omitted any New England Patriots’ references. The GOAT was gone. Hours later, Foles seized the opportunity to pay tribute to (or poke fun at?) Brady. He posted a photo of them engaged in a hearty handshake prior to Super Bowl LII.
Much respect Tom. Unbelievable career. Best of luck with your next chapter.
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Foles vs. Brady: A Gripping History
This particular grip (in the photo above) happened days before Foles’ MVP performance downed Brady and started “Handshake Gate” in 2018. Philadelphia Eagles’ fans refused to forgive the future Hall of Famer from dissing Foles at the end of the Patriots’ 41-33 loss on February 4, 2018.
The two never shook hands and cameras showed Brady never sought Foles out. In what seemed like a non-issue – two competitors lost in the night, consoling or celebrating with teammates – turned into a full-blown controversy. Except one party didn’t understand the anger.
“No. I’m not,” said Brady of the perceived slight, via Rob Maaddi. “I’ve shaken Nick’s hand plenty of times, though. So, I have a lot of respect for Nick. I try to be a good sport as best I can. I know it doesn’t always look like that, because sometimes I get a little pissed out there, but for the most part I try to be a good sport.”
Since #Eagles fans are obsessed with Tom Brady not shaking Nick Foles’ hand after SB52, I finally asked him about it because the #Buccaneers host Philly on Sunday. “I have a lot of respect for Nick. I try to be a good sport as best I can…” Brady’s full response 👇🏻
Eagles Twitter Reacts, Flexes on GOAT
The major debate on Eagles Twitter on Tuesday night was whether Foles was throwing major shade at Brady or sharing a genuine time capsule. Knowing Foles, the smart money is on the latter. He isn’t one to stir the pot or take unnecessary shots. Then again, Brady overlooked Foles a second time when they squared off in 2020.
“It’s happened a few times,” Foles said after his Bears beat Brady’s Bucs 20-19. “I’m sure that someday Tom and I will have a great conversation about it and probably just laugh at it. There’s obviously history there from a big game we both played in once.”
“I don’t think it’s anything in particular except I have great admiration for Nick,” Brady said in 2020. “I think Nick Foles is a hell of a player, Super Bowl champ.”
Brady-McNabb Rivalry Continues
Here’s a random story making the rounds: Donovan McNabb chose to sit out a magazine photo shoot back in 2003 because he was too busy. His replacement? Tom Brady. Ouch. To be fair, those two players received split covers that year in ESPN The Magazine.
My first cover story. Brady’s first ESPN cover. Our editors really wanted to put Donovan McNabb on the cover, and he wouldn’t sit for a shoot. At one point one said to him, “You’re going to make us put *Tom Brady* on the cover?”
Last month, we released an entire Brady *issue.*
ESPN’s Seth Wickersham revealed the news on Tuesday in a funny tweet that went viral. People started to blame McNabb’s impatience for a photo shoot as the rise to Brady’s dominance. Which is an incredibly far-fetched and hilarious theory.