A $1 Million Bonus, Nick Foles And The Philadelphia Eagles' Culture


The Philadelphia Eagles didn't have to do it, but they did.

In his contract, Foles, last season's backup-turned Super Bowl MVP, would earn an extra $1 million if Philadelphia made the playoffs and he played 33% of the snaps.

Last year, after starting quarterback Carson Wentz was lost to injury, Foles led the Eagles to the franchise's first Super Bowl victory. This season, after Wentz returned from that ACL injury, Foles took on his backup role again. Wentz's season, though, came to a premature end in December because of a back injury. This gave Foles another chance to play.

He led the Eagles to a three-game winning streak to finish the regular season. They eked out a 9-7 record and earned a playoff berth in that final week. Philadelphia would notch a playoff win, upsetting the Bears in the Chicago before falling to the Saints in New Orleans. Foles, though, came up four snaps short of earning that $1 million bonus.

What did the Eagles do? They paid him anyway. This doesn't happen all the time.

This move is all about the Eagles' culture. This is the team everyone doubted last year when Wentz went down. What chances did they have being guided by Foles, a backup, who had nearly walked away from football? But the Eagles didn't have doubts.

This is also the team that clawed its way into the playoffs this season. They pulled off one upset and then almost did it again the next week. When the season came to a close in heartbreaking fashion, what did the Eagles and Foles do? They spoke about their love for Alshon Jeffery. The wide receiver had let the ball slip through his hands on a play that ended in a game-sealing interception for the Saints. This is who the Eagles are.

As the NFL calendar moves toward free agency, Foles is a hot commodity. He could end up back in Philly or in any other quarterback-needy city.

Philadelphia, with the unnecessary move of awarding the bonus, must look like an attractive possibility to Foles and other free agents.

It's a smart, culture-driven, business decision that underscores the air around Philly's birds.


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