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The Chicago Bears are playing the Indianapolis Colts this week so that means it’s Nick Foles going up against Frank Reich.
Naturally, the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl MVP was asked to talk about his relationship with his former offensive coordinator. The answer that Foles gave has since caught the attention of Eagles fans.
Here's the video of Nick Foles' full answer about Frank Reich being the one that "really figured me out as a player" during their time together in Philadelphia - pic.twitter.com/4H4J3K70kg
— Michael Kist (@MichaelKistNFL) October 1, 2020
Here’s the transcript (with my emphasis in bold):
“I think the big thing with Frank is 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 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 ‘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.’ And 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 say 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, 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.”
So, what do you make of this?
More fuel to the “Reich was the REAL mastermind of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, not Doug Pederson!” fire? That seems to be how a lot of people are reacting.
I’ve also seen some suggest it’s damning that Foles didn’t mention Pederson at all. I mean, I can’t agree with that much. Foles is directly being asked about Reich here. The Bears are playing the Colts, not the Eagles.
But with Philly’s offense — Carson Wentz included — failing to reach the same heights since Reich was on the Eagles’ coaching staff, it’s not hard to see why people are left missing his contributions. For some, the same obviously applies to Foles.
Neither Reich nor Foles are walking through that door, though. No amount of saying “Should of kept!” (sic) is going to bring them back. The Eagles are going to have to figure it out with Pederson and Wentz. Unless they prove they can’t, which is kind of an issue right now!