Nick Foles Hints That Frank Reich Deserves More Credit Than Doug Pederson for the Eagles’ Super Bowl
When the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2018, head coach Doug Pederson was praised for doing the impossible with a backup quarterback. Well, that quarterback thinks the team would never have made it to the Super Bowl that year without offensive coordinator Frank Reich.
Foles and Reich had a great relationship in Philadelphia, and Foles believes Reich deserves more credit for unlocking the offense down the stretch.
Nick Foles led the Eagles to a Super Bowl in 2018
After Carson Wentz went down with a season-ending injury late in the year, most fans gave up on the Eagles as a Super Bowl contender. They were the best team in the NFC all season, but they just weren’t going to be able to overcome the loss of their potential MVP.
But Nick Foles said not so fast. The journeyman QB filled in for Wentz and led the Eagles to an unlikely Super Bowl victory over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Pederson got all of the coaching credit for going for it on multiple fourth downs, calling the “Philly Special,” and playing to win instead of playing not to lose. Reich, meanwhile, sat on the sidelines while the head coach was praised. Foles recently spoke about his former OC, and he said he deserves just as much credit for that title.
Foles says Frank Reich, not Doug Pederson, made that Super Bowl possible
Before the Bears’ Week 4 matchup against Reich and the Colts, the media asked Foles about his time in Philadelphia playing under Reich. Foles had high praise for the former offensive coordinator, and his response could be taken as a slight to Doug Pederson.
I think the big thing with Frank was, it wasn’t so much about football. When we talked, it was just about life and our faith. It was really simple; he was the one who really figured me out as a player and realized that we had it all wrong and they just threw some plays out there one day and just said, ‘go play these plays, we’ve studied you and these are the plays you do.’ And sure enough something triggered inside of me. And he figured me out as a player to where even during games when I’d come to the sidelines, like, usually coaches want to coach you up and do all this. He would just say ‘just keep doing it. Just keep doing it.’ Like he wouldn’t say much. And, at first, it’s sort of weird because you’re not used to a coach not doing that. But he’s like ‘I trust you, go do you thing.’ I think no matter what, if I threw an interception or I threw a touchdown, he cared more about the person than the player. And that says a lot about him and that’s why I have all the respect in the world (for him). Anyone who’s played for Frank will probably say the same thing. I know that when he went to Indianapolis from Philly, that we were all sad to see him go, but happy for his opportunity to be a head coach because we knew he deserved it just because of the man he is. So, he obviously, as y’all can tell, means a lot to me. It’s a life-long relationship.
Nick Foles
Interesting, to say the least.
Foles will reunite with his former coach Sunday
Nearly three years after that fateful Super Bowl, Foles and Reich will reunite on the football field. This time, they’ll both be wearing different colors than midnight green.
Foles will start his first game for the Bears, while Reich gears his Colts up to start 3-1 in 2020. Win or lose, you can bet these two will have a heartfelt reunion in Chicago on Sunday.
