Starting out the season as a second-string quarterback, Nick Foles is now a backup-turned-postseason hero after leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 38-7 win over the Vikings, paving the way to Super Bowl 52.
But in spite of being showered with praise by fans and teammates alike, Foles is one Eagles player—similar to his band of Bible-believing brothers—that redirects the glory to God first and foremost.
With a Twitter bio simply reading, “Believer in Jesus Christ, husband, father, son, brother,” it’s unquestionable that the QB humbly puts his faith above football in every circumstance.
But what most people don’t know is just how close Foles was to giving up the game he loved for good.
In a 2017 devotional with YouVersion, he opened up to viewers about how he nearly quit his football career, shortly before a revelation from God that kept him on the course:
“A lot of people don’t know this — I’m going to share this right now, because I think it’s important. After my time with a certain NFL team, I wanted to retire. This was a year ago. I wanted to retire from the NFL, and I really struggled. I couldn’t pick up a football for about eight months. I had no love for the game, and it was tough. But I kept reading scripture, I kept praying, and asking God.”
After going from a starter to being traded, benched, and then back-up, Foles has certainly seen his fair share of turbulence throughout his career.
He explains that 2 Corinthians 12:9 has been a big verse for him the past couple of years through his ups and downs with the NFL:
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.’”
“This verse has brought so much meaning to my heart and in my life,” he says.