Bears release former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles after 2 years
The Chicago Bears and quarterback Nick Foles have agreed to part ways. His agent confirmed the move on Saturday, and he was officially released on Sunday.
According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the Bears hadn't been able to find a trade partner for Foles, so they decided to release him so he could control where he goes next.
The #Bears have agreed to release QB Nick Foles, his agent Justin Schulman confirmed. The team’s new regime decided to allow Foles to find his next home rather than continue to search for a trade partner. “Ryan Poles did the classy thing and Nick appreciates it,” Schulman said.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 1, 2022
Foles made eight starts over two seasons with the Bears. He was originally supposed to compete with Mitch Trubisky for the starting position, but neither player performed well. The move ended up being an expensive mistake, which was clear once the Bears acquired two new quarterbacks before the 2021 season.
The highs and lows of Foles' career
Foles may have the resume of a journeyman QB, but his name is sacrosanct in Philly. He started his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012, returning to the team in 2017 to back up Carson Wentz. That turned out to be a history-making move, as he stepped in as the starter after Wentz tore his ACL. He led the Eagles all the way to Super Bowl LII, where they beat the New England Patriots to win their first-ever Super Bowl. Foles called for the gutsy Philly Special, an all-time great Super Bowl play, and was named MVP.
The Bears were Foles' second team since he left the Eagles in 2018. He signed a four-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars in early 2019, but broke his clavicle in the first quarter of his first start. He returned in Week 11, but would start just two more times before being benched for Gardner Minshew, who had started in Foles' absence.
That's how Foles ended up on the Bears. Jacksonville traded him to Chicago in 2020, where the move fell decidedly flat amid the Bears continuing to search for stability and an identity.
Where Foles lands next is up to him. His stint with the Jags pretty much ended any illusion that he's a starting quarterback, and his time in Chicago didn't do much to boost his stock as a backup. But his experience could still make him an attractive option as teams begin to ramp up for the regular season.
