Nick Foles makes it pretty clear who he is and why he plays football. The Jags' starting quarterback is making his return Sunday. He talked to reporters a few days ago about his thoughts after breaking his collarbone on his 10th play here in week one.
"Right when I felt this thing break ... I just realized, 'God, this wasn't exactly what I was thinking when I came to Jacksonville."
The game plan was altered, but his goals for this franchise weren't. "The goal is to create a culture and impact people," he said.
Foles' media availability time then turned into a place for him to give a little sermon, sort of a post-injury testimonial.
The 30 year old recalled the thoughts he had immediately after breaking his collar bone.
"I was like, 'God, if this is the journey you want me to go on, I'm going to glorify you in every action, good and bad. I still can have joy in injury. People hear that and say that's crazy, but when you believe in Jesus and you go out there and play, that changes your heart."
Foles then recalled his thoughts as he hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LII. "The reason I was smiling is because my faith was in Christ," he said. "I realized I didn't need that trophy to define who I was because it was already in Christ and that's my message when I play. Same thing happens when I get injured.
"We tend to make this so much about us as human beings," Foles continued, "we tend to make it about us as athletes. It's not about us. It really isn't and if you make it about yourself, you're probably going to go home at night and lay your head on your pillow and be very alone and very sad.
"I know that's a sermon in itself, but that's how I go through life," Foles told the various media representatives who were clearly standing in as his congregation.
"I feel like I'm a better person ... because of the trial I just went under," he said.
As for Sunday's game against the Colts, Foles mostly talked about facing that team's head coach, Frank Reich. He was Foles' offensive coordinator two seasons ago in Philly during their magical Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.
"When I step on the field, I'm going against a man in Frank Reich ... he's a guy I admire more than anything. He's a guy who has impacted my life and he's going to be on the opposing sideline and that's going to be fun."
Harold Goodridge is Digital Director at First Coast News.