After signing an extremely lucrative contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the 2019 season, Foles began his tenure at the team with a promising first quarter before being cut short—sidelined by a shoulder injury.
It turned out to be a broken clavicle and meant he would need surgery and be out for several weeks before being able to return to play on Sunday, Nov. 17.
Rather than sulking or despairing, Foles said in a Jaguars press conference Nov. 13, 2019, that he found the strength to deal with the disappointment through his faith in God. He recalled in an interview, “God, if this is the journey that you want me to go on, I am going to glorify you in every action good or bad.”
Foles has long been of the league’s most outspoken players about discussing religious beliefs. A devout Christian, Foles has even expressed his intentions to become a pastor for high school students after retirement. In a press conference before the Super Bowl in 2018, he talked about having enrolled to take classes at a seminary.
Saying that he wanted to “impact [young] people’s hearts,” Foles acknowledged the importance of life after football. “I can’t play football forever,” he said. “I’ve been blessed with an amazing platform and it’s just a door God has opened, but I still have a lot of school left and a long journey.”
This philosophy helped Foles deal with winning one of football’s biggest prizes without losing his head. “When I hoisted the Lombardi trophy, the reason I am smiling is because my faith is in Christ,” the quarterback explained in a November press conference.
He added, “I didn’t need that trophy to define who I was because it was already in Christ.” For him, the same principle applies to getting injured and seeing his season cut short.
The broader point that Foles tried to communicate to reporters is that football is a means to an end for him. “My purpose isn’t football. It’s impacting people,” the quarterback said. “My ministry happens to be through the locker room.”
Overall, Foles has used the opportunity of not being in the spotlight to make connections and offer spiritual counsel to others on his team. He’s also tried to be an example to his fellow players.
Ultimately, though he hurt his shoulder, he believes it has strengthened his character. “There [are] trials along the way, but they equip you to be who you are.”
For his first game back on the field on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019, Foles was happy to pay tribute to his adversary: coach Frank Reich of Indianapolis Colts.
Reich, also a devout Christian, is an ordained pastor with a Master’s Degree in Divinity from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Though the Jaguars lost 33-13, Foles landed 33 completions, 2 touchdown passes, and 296 passing yards. It’s likely that the loss of his first post-injury start won’t faze young Foles. He has faith to keep things in perspective.
