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Nick Foles Had An Unforgettable NFL Career With The Eagles. But It's One That Doesn't 'define Him.'

On New Year's Day in 2023, Larry Foles reached out to his son with a thinly veiled request.

He'd watched Kayvon Thibodeaux fly around the edge and deliver the latest in a long line of excruciating hits his son received over an 11-year career. He also saw the pained reaction that ensued and the injury diagnosis that ruled him out with broken ribs.

"Man, I hope you're retired," Larry Foles texted to his son. "You can't take many more of them."

It took a little over a year for Nick Foles to officially grant his father's wish. The former Eagles quarterback, the MVP of the franchise's lone Super Bowl victory, spent the 2023 season as a free agent and finished 2022 sidelined after the Week 16 matchup between Foles' Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants.

The time away made his official retirement announcement last month more of a formality than anything else. He'd already started the next chapter of his life, one that's been seamless relative to most NFL retirees attempting to find themselves in life after football.

"Football never has and never will define him," Larry Foles said. "He's always had multiple things in his life that he juggles that matter and football was just part of it. He realized early on that the NFL — he was around a lot of guys, some of them it did define and others it didn't, and he learned from that."

The Eagles will honor Nick Foles on Monday night before their game against the Atlanta Falcons, naming their 2012 third-round pick an honorary captain with plans to celebrate the five years he spent with the team over two stints.

Foles had an unusual career, with historic highs and confounding lows. His father called him a "sleeper," a quarterback who could bore you for long stretches before turning it on in an instant.

» READ MORE: Here's why Philadelphia loves Nick Foles, beyond his Super Bowl winMarcus Hayes

In his second year, he sent his uniform and cleats to the Pro Football Hall of Fame and was traded, benched, and traded again just two seasons later. His career's beginning and resurrection arrived with the Eagles, as did his brightest moments during the team's run to Super Bowl LII with him as the improbable hero and backup quarterback.

When reconciling how his son could grow up in Austin, Texas, and spend his college years at Arizona only to develop such a strong feeling of "home" so far away from it, Larry Foles points to the fit between Foles and Eagles fans.

"Sports is such a big part of their lives there," Larry Foles said. "It's a very blue-collar town that really appreciates everything that they have. I think, more than anything else, he appreciated that. And you could throw an interception or two and they'd be booing you like crazy, and then you'd throw a 50-yard bomb, they're cheering you all of a sudden. ... It's the hunger that Philly fans have and how they show their appreciation."

Eagles kicker Jake Elliott, one of eight players on the current roster who overlapped with Foles, added, "He's real, he's authentic. When you're authentic and show you care, you show you want what the city wants. I think people resonate with that and appreciate his hard work. They see him work all day. It's the same thing with [former Eagles center Jason] Kelce, the same thing with a lot of these other guys: When you're honest, and they see you work, it's easy to resonate with."

» READ MORE: In a recent appearance on SportsRadio WIP, Jason Kelce compares Nick Foles to 'Rocky'

Hard to believe

Going through the memories of the Eagles' 2017 postseason run, Larry Foles sometimes feels he still hasn't completely wrapped his head all the way around it.

"It's hard to believe we have a son that won the Super Bowl," he'll tell his wife, Melissa.

Indeed they do. As he mentioned during an appearance on The Green Light podcast with former Eagles defensive end Chris Long last week, Nick Foles signed with the Eagles before the 2016 season despite a competing offer from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in part because of his familiarity with Philadelphia and the comfortability serving as a backup for Carson Wentz going into his second year.

About 11 months later, Larry Foles watched his kid board the team bus in Minneapolis before Super Bowl LII after a brief conversation ended with an axiom foretelling what was going to come that day.

"This is going to be fun."

There aren't many memories from Nick's career that rival watching him throw for 373 yards and three touchdowns against the New England Patriots while catching another on the now-famous trick play called "The Philly Special" that spurred the Eagles to a 41-33 win.

At least one does come close, though: The time Larry Foles bought a plane ticket to Oakland on a whim to watch his son return from a concussion against the Raiders in 2013. Surrounded by thousands of Raiders fans and quickly outed as "Nick Foles' dad," he watched as his son tied the NFL record with seven touchdown passes in a single game and eventually swayed those around him to his side.

"Everybody around me was cheering for Nick to throw the eighth," Larry Foles said of the Eagles' 49-20 win. "They knew they were beat, but here are the Oakland fans cheering for Nick to throw the eighth touchdown. And they pulled him. What could have been."

The next chapter

Now in retirement, Nick Foles has found his first coaching job: coaching girls' flag football for his daughter Lily's team.

Emblematic of the line of hats, with "DAD SZN" printed on the front, that he has released with his former Chicago Bears teammate Pat O'Donnell, fatherhood is at the center of Foles' post-football life along with running, pickleball, and golf.

"That's the turning of the page," Eagles tackle Lane Johnson said. "You see guys transition into the next step, he [has] done a good job of preparing stuff for after football while he was playing so it wasn't such a big shell-shock to him. Much like Kelce. Not everyone's that fortunate.

"Football was a main focus, but it wasn't his everything, it wasn't his identity. A lot of people can't say that."

Larry Foles believes his son would make a good coach in the NFL one day, but for now paring the sport down to a kindergarten level seems like good practice.

In a way, Larry Foles said, a full-time parenting role may even be harder than the years spent in the NFL.

"Being a parent is a lot harder than going to practice 12 hours a day with the guys," Larry Foles said. "I really think it's a lot easier leaving at 5 in the morning knowing you're going to go play a game with the guys, get home late, and the wife has done all the work. I think he's realized that it's time for him to lend a helping hand and he's done that in a way that works and he's getting better at it."

» READ MORE: A day after his release from the Colts, former Eagles Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles gets personal

While he's thankful his son left the game "on his own terms," Larry Foles said he's eager to see Nick's return to Lincoln Financial Field for the first time since he was the team's starting quarterback in 2018.

"It's going to be a fun Monday, this weekend is going to be fun, just walking around with him and seeing the appreciation when he steps on that field. He hasn't been back really on that field since 2018. Once he's seen on that field, it will be pretty special."

The Eagles play in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.

Texans Quarterbacks Coach Jerrod Johnson's Jersey Retired At Humble High School

HOUSTON – Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson was honored Friday during a pep rally at his alma mater with his jersey retired at Humble High School.

The former Texas A&M and NFL quarterback, the position coach for Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud, was honored at the Wildcats' gymnasium named after his father, Larry Johnson. Johnson was a principal at the school who passed away in 2007.

Thank you @FootballHumble," Johnson wrote on social media. "A day my family and I will never forget.

At Humble, Johnson was named Touchdown Club Offensive Player of the Year. His jersey was retired along with former Humble and NFL players Bertrand Berry, Sammy Davis, Jackie Battle, David Boston and David Givens.

Johnson remained with the AFC South champions under an upgraded contract that includes a major raise after interviewing for multiple offensive coordinator positions this offseason, according to league sources.

The lure of remaining with the Texans and continuing to coach star quarterback C.J. Stroud and keep building with his hometown team was a powerful force for Johnson.

Johnson interviewed in-person for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offensive coordinator job, according to league sources.

Johnson interviewed twice New Orleans Saints for their offensive coordinator vacancy according to a league source.

Johnson interviewed virtually Monday with the Saints and in-person with the Cleveland Browns and the Philadelphia Eagles in addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots, per sources.

Johnson quickly emerged as one of the hottest offensive coordinator candidates in the league before remaining with the Texans.

Johnson is highly regarded for his work with Texans standout rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, the frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Stroud consistently praised Johnson and cited their strong relationship that goes back to Elite 11 work together when he was in high school.

Stroud, the second overall pick and two-time Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State, regards Johnson as instrumental in his growth as a quarterback as they first began working together when the Rancho Cucamonga, California native was 16 years old.

"One thing that I can say about Jerrod, you talk about somehow who knows how to play the position of quarterback and knows how to relay something, but also just a great person, man," Stroud said. "A guy who loves football, he loves Houston, he loves Texas. He loves his family, he's a great family man. Someone who has just taught me a tremendous amount of information, but on top of that, put a lot of confidence into me as well."

At the time, Stroud wasn't as well-known as a quarterback and was seeking to establish himself as a recruit. He wound up outperforming his friend, Carolina Panthers quarterback and top overall pick Bryce Young. Johnson encouraged Stroud to believe in himself.

"Jerrod's one thing for me was like, 'Be confident,'" Stroud said. "At that time, I wasn't really the highest recruit. I wasn't who I would become. Jerrod is someone I looked up to. When he was like, 'Man, you need to be more confident,' it changed my life. From there, fast forward and now I'm here with him my rookie year, it's been just a blessing to work with him and, whatever happens, I'm excited for him, and he deserves everything that's coming for him. I'm super blessed to be able to work with him."

Stroud became the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game, surpassing his childhood idol, Michael Vick. He began his career with an NFL record 191 passes without an interception, finished the season with 198 passes without an interception and finished with 4,108 yards in the regular season, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Stroud joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to lead the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio.

"Yeah, you can't talk about C.J.'s success without talking about Jerrod, and what he was able to do, the relationship he had with him," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. "Just being there for him as a position coach. Teaching him, guiding him along the way – Jerrod is one of the reasons why C.J. Had a successful year."

A former record-setting Texas A&M quarterback who also played for the Aggies basketball team, Johnson embraced this opportunity as the Humble High School graduate coaches for his hometown team.

"I see myself as a teacher," Johnson told KPRC 2 earlier this season. "My biggest thing is I want to teach. Whatever is needed of the players in the room, from Case Keenum, to Davis Mills, to C.J., whatever I can do to teach and give them whatever they need, I try to be transparent and open and honest with them.

"I really want feedback from them. Does this feel comfortable or does it not feel comfortable? It's a back-and-forth, but, at the same time, we have a strong room with guys who are smart and who care. Anytime you have guys like that, it's a joy to coach them."

Johnson was previously the assistant quarterbacks coach for the Minnesota Vikings, working closely with coach Kevin O'Connell and veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. He interviewed for the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator job that went to former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Johnson is a former Indianapolis Colts offensive quality control coach who joined the Vikings in 2022.

Johnson has also coached for the San Francisco 49ers under a Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship. He was promoted three years ago to his previous role with the Colts. He interviewed three years ago for the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterbacks coaching position.

Johnson finished his college career with a school-record 8,011 passing yards and 8,888 yards of total offense and also played on the Aggies basketball team. A second-team All-Big 12 selection, Johnson was the program's all-time leader in attempts, completions, passing yards and touchdowns before Kellen Mond broke those records.

Although Johnson went undrafted, he played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Hartford Colonials, and Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Johnson is a former assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at St. Thomas High School in Houston.

He played in the East-West Shrine Bowl in 2011 and later coached at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Johnson has enjoyed coaching Stroud.

"Absolutely, he's a super mature kid," Johnson told KPRC 2. "He has a great foundation. He played a lot of big-time football in college, and it doesn't seem too big for him.

As the Texans' first-year quarterbacks coach, Johnson was tasked with a pivotal, plum assignment: developing and building the skills and knowledge of Stroud, the second overall pick of the draft and a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State,

His roots in Humble are what built Johnson into a coach.

"It meant everything," Johnson said. "My dad was a coach there, and a principal there. That's our family roots. I wouldn't be who I am today without the village of people who raised me in Humble, Texas. I'm forever indebted to Humble and I love my hometown and that's the foundation of who I am as a person."

Coaching for his hometown team is emotionally significant for Johnson as he and his wife, Braidee, are the parents of a baby girl. Jersie Drew Johnson.

"It's really special, especially with my family, my wife Braidee and our little girl, for me to get the opportunity to do what I love in the city that I grew up in," Johnson said. "It's a dream come true. I'm really blessed. It's an emotional thing to be around my family and have our family around our newborn. For us to start our family in my hometown is a godsend."

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.Com.

NFL Injury Report

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) The National Football League injury report, as provided by the league (OUT: Player will not play; DOUBTFUL: Player is unlikely to play; QUESTIONABLE: Player is not certain to play; DNP: did not practice; LIMITED: limited participation; FULL: Full participation):

Sunday

CHICAGO BEARS at HOUSTON TEXANS — Chicago: OUT: FB Khari Blasingame (hand/knee), OL Ryan Bates (shoulder/elbow). QUESTIONABLE: WR Keenan Allen (heel), WR Rome Odunze (knee), DL DeMarcus Walker (foot). FULL: OL Kiran Amegadjie (quadricep), DL Zacch Pickens (groin), TE Mercedes Lewis (NIR/rest). Houston: OUT: DB M.J. Stewart (knee). QUESTIONABLE: RB Dameon Pierce (hamstring), C Juice Scruggs (groin). FULL: WR Nico Collins (illness), TE Dalton Schultz (ankle).

CINCINNATI BENGALS at KANSAS CITY — Cincinnati: OUT: DL Kris Jenkins (thumb). DOUBTFUL: WR: Tee Higgins (hamstring), TE Tanner Hudson (knee), OL Amarius Mims (pectoral). LIMITED: S Geno Stone (back). FULL: QB Joe Burrow (right wrist), DT B.J. Hill (knee), RB Zack Moss (neck), TE Drew Sample (biceps), LB Logan Wilson (knee). Kansas City: OUT: WR Marquise Brown (shoulder). FULL: Nick Bolton (elbow), DE Michael Danna (quadricep), CB Nazeeh Johnson (hamstring), DT Derrick Nnadi (triceps), Mike Pennel (groin) .

CLEVELAND BROWNS at JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Cleveland: OUT: David Njoku (ankle), OL Jedrick Willis (knee). QUESTIONABLE: OL Jack Conklin (knee). LIMITED: G Joel Bitonio (elbow), DE Myles Garrett (foot), LS Charley Hughlett (foot), DE Za'Darius Smith (back), DE Dalvin Thomlinson (knee). FULL: C Nick Harris (knee), WR Jerry Jeudy (knee), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (hand), CB Denzel Ward (shoulder), DE Alex Wright (triceps/elbow). Jacksonville: OUT: DB Darnell Savage (quad). QUESTIONABLE: DL Tyler Lacy (toe), LB Caleb Johnson (back). DNP: DE Arik Armstead (NIR/rest). FULL: S Daniel Thomas (achilles), OT Cam Robinson (knee).

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INDIANAPOLIS COLTS at GREEN BAY PACKERS — Indianapolis: OUT: DB Julian Blackmon (shoulder). QUESTIONABLE: WR Josh Dows (ankle), DL DeForest Buckner (back), DL Kwity Paye (hamstring). FULL: K Matt Gay Green Bay: QUESTIONABLE: RB MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring, QB Jordan Love (knee), WR Jayden Reed (calf/shin). LIMITED: DB Corey Ballentine (oblique), RB Josh Jacobs (back), OB Quay Walker (groin). FULL: NT Kenny Clark (toe), OB Edgerrin Cooper (knee).

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS at BALTIMORE RAVENS — Las Vegas: OUT: DE Tyree Wilson (knee), DB Decamerion Richardson (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: OL Jackson Powers-Johnson (illness). FULL: TE Brock Bowers (foot), LB Divine Deablo (shoulder), LB Tommy Eichenberg (knee), C Andre James (elbow), OT Kolton Miller (knee). Baltimore: OUT: DB Nate Wiggins (neck). DOUBTFUL: LB Adisa Isaac (hamstring). QUESTIONABLE: LB Kyle Van Noy (eye). FULL: ILB Roquan Smith (shoulder).

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS at CAROLINA PANTHERS — Los Angeles: DOUBTFUL: DB Alohi Gilman (knee). QUESTIONABLE: RB Hassan Haskins (toe), WR Josh Palmer (knee), LB Joey Bosa (back), DB Ja'Sir Taylor (fibula). FULL: LB Junior Colson (knee), OLB Khalil Mack (NIR/rest), MLB Denzel Perryman (thigh), CB Asante Samuel Jr. (shoulder), DB Tarheeb Still (hip). Carolina: QUESTIONALBLE: RB Raheem Blackshear (NIR/personal), TE Tommy Tremble (hamstring/back), OL Taylor Moton (back/knee), OL Damien Lewis (groin), P Johnny Hekker (back). LIMITED: OT Robert Hunt (shoulder), OT Yosh Nijman (tibia), OLB Josey Jewell (groin). FULL: OLB Jadeveon Clowney (ankle), WR Adam Thielen (shoulder).

LOS ANGELES RAMS at ARIZONA CARDINALS — Los Angeles: OUT: TE Davis Allen (back). QUESTIONABLE: S Quentin Lake (hip), OL Kevin Dotson (foot), CB Cobie Durant (toe). FULL: OL Rob Havenstein (foot), LB Christian Rozeboom (hip). Arizona: QUESTIONABLE: CB Max Melton (concussion), WR Xavier Weaver (oblique). FULL: QB Kyler Murray (knee).

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS at DALLAS COWBOYS — New Orleans: OUT: LB D'Marco Jackson (calf), DL Khalen Saunders (calf). QUESTIONABLE: DT Bryan Bresee (illness), DE Isaiah Foskey (back), DB Marshon Lattimore (hip/hamstring), LB Jaylan Ford (hamstring), OL Taliese Fuaga (back). LIMITED: OL Lucas Patrick (toe), WR Rashid Shaheed (finger). FULL: S Tryann Mathieu (heel), TE Dallin Holker (ankle), TE Foster Moreau (concussion). WR A.T. Perry (hand), OL Nick Saldiveri (calf), RB Jamaal Williams (shoulder). Dallas: OUT: WR John Stephens (hamstring). DOUBTFUL: LIMITED: TE Jake Ferguson (knee). FULL: DB C.J. Goodwin (foot), DE Marshawn Kneeland (calf).

NEW YORK GIANTS at WASHINGTON COMMANDERS — New York: OUT: DB Nick McCloud (knee), LB Darius Muasau (knee), WR Gunner Olszewski (groin). FULL: WR Darius Slayton ( concussion protocol), LB Micah McFadden (groin), WR Malik nabers (knee). Washington: OUT: CB Emmanuel Forbes (thumb). QUESTIONABLE: DT Jer'Zhan Newton (foot), CB Quan Martin (hamstring), DE Clellin Ferrell (knee). FULL: TE Zach Ertz (NIR/rest), OL Brandon Coleman (shoulder), DB Tyler Owens (ankle), RB Brian Robinson (knee), OL Trent Scott (knee).

NEW YORK JETS at TENNESSEE TITANS — New York: QUESTIONABLE: DB D.J. Reed (knee), DE Micheal Clemons (triceps). LIMITED: DL Javon Kinlaw (NIR/personal). FULL: DB Michael Carter (ankle), DB Ashtyn Davis (ankle), WR Mike Williams (knee), T Tyron Smith (NIR/rest). Tennessee: LIMITED: CB Chidobe Awuzie (hip), CB L'Jarius Sneed (NIR/rest). FULL: DB Jamal Adams (hip), OL Dillon Radunz (rib), LB Otis Reese (concussion) G Peter Skoronski (neck).

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at DENVER BRONCOS — Pittsburgh: OUT: OL Isaac Seumalo (pectoral). QUESTIONABLE: QB Russell Wilson (calf), WR Roman Wilson (ankle). FULL: CB Darius Rush ( concussion), OT Dan Moore Jr. (ankle), DT Larry Ogunjobi (knee), LB Patrick Queen (groin), DT Cameron Heyward (NIR/rest). Denver: OUT: WR Devaugn Vele (ribs). FULL: T Garett Bolles (calf), WR Josh Reynolds (achilles), OL Luke Wattenberg (ankle). LB Jonah Elliss (knee).

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS at MINNESOTA VIKINGS — San Francisco: OUT: RB Christian McCaffrey (calf, achilles). DOUBTFUL: S Talanoa Hufanga (knee). QUESTIONABLE: LB Dee Winters (ankle). FULL: DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), G Aaron Banks (finger, calf), WR Jauan Jennings (ankle), Minnesota: OUT: Jordan Addison (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: OL Brian O'Neill (elbow), OL Ed Ingram (triceps), DB Harrison Smith (hip). FULL: OLB Andrew Ban Ginkel (foot), C Garrett Bradbury (knee), WR Jalen Nailor (ankle).

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Seattle: OUT: TE Pharoah Brown (foot), LB Uchenna Nwosu (knee). DOUBTFUL: RB Kenneth Walker III (oblique), T George Fant (knee). QUESTIONABLE: LB Tyrel Dodson (shoulder), LB Jerome Baker (hamstring). LIMITED: DE Dre'Mont Jones (hamstring). FULL: WR Tyler Lockett (thigh), TE Noah Fant (toe), CB Riq Woolen (hamstring), CB Tre Brown (quadricep), G Laken Tomlinson (ankle), G Anthony Bradford (knee). New England: OUT: G Sidy Sow (ankle). QUESTIONABLE: S Kyle Dugger (ankle), RB JaMychal Hasty (knee), G Layden Robinson (shoulder), DE Deatrich Wise (shoulder). FULL: OLB Anfernee Jennings (wrist/knee), OT Vederian Lowe (abdomen).

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS at DETROIT LIONS — Tampa Bay: OUT: OL Luke Goedeke (concussion), DB Josh Hayes (ankle), DL Calijah Kancey (calf), DB Antoine Winfield Jr. (foot). QUESTIONABLE: DE Logan Hall (foot), CB Zyon McCollum (concussion), DB Tykee Smith (illness). LIMITED: OLB Lavonte David (NIR/rest), WR Mike Evans (NIR/rest). FULL: LB K.J. Britt (illness), DE William Gholston (elbow), Detroit: OUT: WR Isaiah Williams (abdomen), DB Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle). DOUBTFUL: DL Marcus Davenport (groin). QUESTIONABLE: WR Jameson Williams (ankle), OL Penei Sewell (foot), DB Kerby Jones (hamstring). FULL: CB Carlton Davis (chest), DE D.J. Reader (quadricep), S Loren Strickland (thumb).

ATLANTA FALCONS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES — Atlanta: DNP LB Nate Landman (calf, quadricep). LIMITED: CB Antonio Hamilton (groin), OT Kaleb McGary (groin), RB Jase McClellan (knee). Philadelphia: LIMITED: WR A.J. Brown (hamstring), OT Fred Johnson (thumb), DT Milton Williams (foot). FULL: CB Isaiah Rodgers (hand), LB Devin White (ankle).

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