Nick Foles and Frank Reich percentage the honour of getting created two of the best moments for backup quarterbacks in NFL historical past.
Foles took over for injured Carson Wentz past due within the 2017 season and led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Tremendous Bowl identify. Reich took over for an injured Jim Kelly and led the Buffalo Expenses to the largest comeback in NFL historical past, the playoff overcome the Houston Oilers in 1993.
Each males say their religion in God allowed them to stay the magnitude of the instant in viewpoint.
“My prayer for the Tremendous Bowl,” says Foles, “was once, ‘God I pray you solid out the worry, and I pray that I play daring for your identify regardless of the result. And I pray that I glorify you with my movements and my phrases. It was once by no means I pray I win this recreation. I simply don’t wish to have concern on this recreation. I simply wish to play unfastened. God allowed me not to have any concern and to be essentially the most calm I’m ever been.”
Foles gave that message to a sold-out crowd of 750 Saturday on the Hyatt Regency Buffalo as he accredited the nineteenth annual Name to Braveness Award.
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Reich created the award to honor an NFL participant who exemplifies Christian personality off and on the sphere. Foles was once the second one Tremendous Bowl MVP to win it, becoming a member of Corridor-of-Famer Kurt Warner, who received in 2008. The breakfast match had taken a hiatus the former two years because of the pandemic.
Nick Foles, proper, receives the Name to Braveness Award from Frank Reich Saturday on the Hyatt Regency Buffalo.
The 60-year-old Reich was once in detail fascinated about Foles’ good fortune. Reich was once offensive coordinator for the Eagles that championship season, proper earlier than taking up as head trainer of the Indianapolis Colts in 2018.
“It is beautiful loopy that there’s some sturdy parallels,” Reich stated of his profession and that of Foles’. “We’ve mentioned it slightly, in truth now not an entire lot. I believe it’s been an understood factor. … For us, the place that comes from, that’s a deep connection between the 2 folks.”
Foles earned Tremendous Bowl MVP honors by way of passing for 373 yards and 3 touchdowns in main the Eagles to a 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots. Foles additionally stuck a TD cross within the recreation on a tight-end opposite play referred to as “the Philly Particular,” which Foles steered to move trainer Doug Pederson.
“At the moment, I simply felt like this play will trick Invoice Belichick at the moment,” Foles stated, regarding the Patriots trainer and drawing an enormous cheer from the ballroom crowd.
In 3 playoff video games en path to the identify, Foles finished 72.6% of his passes and had a passer score of 115.7.
“In a playoff stretch there’s by no means been higher quarterback play within the historical past of the NFL than in 2017,” Reich stated.
“We’re all searching for the person who we will be able to glance as much as and be impressed by way of – who may also be the similar individual each on best of the mountain and within the valley,” Reich stated. “It’s super to peer how Nick has carried himself the entire time, now not simply after being Tremendous Bowl MVP however within the difficult instances, as smartly.”
There were numerous difficult instances at the box for Foles since Tremendous Bowl LII.
He signed a large contract with Jacksonville in 2019 however then suffered a critical shoulder harm in Week 1 and neglected a lot of the season. He spent the previous two seasons most commonly as a backup in Chicago. He’s a unfastened agent now, after being launched by way of the Bears closing week.
“The most important a part of the adventure is the pains,” Foles stated. “I do know thru learning scripture. Within the Guide of James, it’s about discovering pleasure throughout the trials. That’s in reality resonated with me all the way through the years. It’s a loopy thought as a result of when difficult issues are taking place, how are you able to take a look at them definitely? The very first thing you suppose is why me? Why is that this taking place? … Whilst you’re uncomfortable, that’s when Christ is operating.”
After main the Eagles to a win over Chicago within the 2018 playoffs, Foles instructed journalists, “Whether or not you’re first string, 2nd string, 0.33 string, your id can’t be on this recreation, it’s gotta be in Jesus Christ.”
Foles, 33, was once a third-stringer closing season for the Bears when he were given a Week 15 get started at Seattle and led Chicago to a 25-24 comeback victory.
“I had by no means been a third-stringer,” Foles stated. “However God kind of has a humorousness.”
“This closing yr in Seattle … we’re down within the fourth quarter by way of so much,” Foles stated. “You’ll glance in some other people’s eyes and it’s over. There’s no means. … I bear in mind taking a look on the clock and pondering the possibilities of us profitable aren’t superb, however keep within the second. It doesn’t matter what occurs on this recreation, I am getting to head house to my spouse and children. They love me. My canine loves me. Christ loves me. I don’t have to succeed in this, however I wish to. I’m going to head out and glorify God. In a unusual means it takes away all of the force of the sport as a result of you understand the result of this recreation doesn’t outline you as a human being.”
The Prime College Name to Braveness Award went to Peter Farrington, a senior at Pembroke Prime College. He gained a $1,000 scholarship.
