JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nick Foles is ready to make Jacksonville home.
After years of searching and numerous misses (see Byron Leftwich, Blaine Gabbert, Blake Bortles), the Jaguars hope that they’ve found their franchise quarterback.
Foles sounded ready to play the part.
“This is the perfect place. This is where I wanted to be,” Foles said.
Foles and his wife, Tori, were introduced to Jacksonville on Thursday, one day after agreeing to a four-year, $88 million contract with $50.125 million in guarantees.
Foles said that he and Tori, their daughter, Lily, and dog, a goldendoodle named Henry, are ready to make Jacksonville home. They were planning to begin house hunting on Thursday. His next goal — introducing himself to the rest of the team.
“The thing I am most excited about honestly, is getting to know my teammates, being in the locker room, getting to know their personalities,” Foles said. “That’s why I play this game, just to step in the huddle and play with the guys. I love my brothers. Those are the guys I lean on. That’s what makes a great team and organization, that brotherhood. And honestly, that starts with getting to know one another.”
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Foles, 30, has never been the undisputed leader under center like he will be with the Jaguars.
He took over for an injured Michael Vick in 2013 and played so well that he wound up staying the starting quarterback and made the Pro Bowl. He played half the season in 2014, but wound up on injured reserve.
When he was traded to the Rams the following season, he split time with Case Keenum and was eventually traded to the Chiefs and played in just three games.
“It’s those ups and downs through football through life that have made me equipped to handle this,” Foles said. “And so it begins. This is a new challenge for me, and it’s something that I look forward to, it is a new challenge, it takes faith.”
It was Foles’ second stint in Philadelphia that made him the most valuable free agent quarterback in this class. He took over for an injured Carson Wentz in both 2017 and ‘18, going 6-2 in the regular season. In the playoffs, Foles went 4-1 and outdueled Tom Brady and the Patriots to win Super Bowl 52.
“Nick is the right person, right QB for our team and community and here are three reasons why,” said Jaguars executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin. “Nick is a winner, he has faced adversity early in his career, but through hard work and perseverance he lead his team to a Super Bowl championship in 2017 and in so doing was selected as the coveted the Super Bowl MVP.”
With Bortles' erratic play through five seasons wearing out the patience of the franchise and its fanbase, the Jaguars set their sights on Foles and anointed him as the player that they hope can take them to the next level.
They paid a premium to get Foles ($50 million in guarantees), although after years of guys like Bortles and Chad Henne and Gabbert and Leftwich, whatever the cost felt worth it to shore up the position.
“I’m really blessed to be able to play this game, the good Lord allowed me to go on year 8 and be apart of Jacksonville," Foles said. "This is where I wanna be we are putting down roots. Gonna look today and find a home we have a daughter Lily and a dog Henry, We couldn’t be more thrilled to be apart of the community and you know get going."