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Who's the real Nick Foles? Most say a man of faith

Nick Foles talks often about his faith. So what do the chaplains for the Eagles and the Jaguars say about this man at the center of all the hoopla? And what does Foles say himself?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — How did Nick Foles become so strong in his faith? 

In Foles' own words:

"I gave my life to Christ my freshman year of college. I grew up in a Christian household, and it was more going to church and checking the boxes and there wasn't any substance for me. I mean it was really when I went to Michigan State for my freshman year ...away from home, I had shoulder surgery. Basically brought to my knees. I was emotional. Lacked my confidence. Started reading the Bible. Started praying. I really gave my life to Christ, then and just said I can't do this on my own. But you are allowing this to happen for a particular reason.  I just pray I glorify you with my actions."

"It doesn't mean I'll be preachy. That's just how I am. I just generally want to know my teammates and care for them." 

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Credit: First Coast News

What impact could he make on the Jaguars?

In the words of Father Andy, chaplain for the Jacksonville Jaguars:

"I did a little homework," Father Andy says. He called his counterpart with the Eagles, Father Thom, the team's Catholic chaplain, who knows Foles well.

Father Andy found out, he says, that "Nick Foles is a good man. He takes his faith seriously. He took classes online to learn and deepen his faith."

"It will be transformational. We have in this locker room an enormous amount of talent. Everyone has so much God-given talent. When you bring an element of faith, it brings the whole locker room to a new level. Nick Foles will bring that. I'm very excited. It's going to help elevate the relationships in the locker room."

"I love those guys. It will help the guys to grow together."

"Little Jesus can make a profound difference in their lives."

What does Father Thom think of  Foles from his days with the Eagles?

In the words of Father Thom, chaplain for the Eagles:

"He's the real McCoy," says Father Thom, the Catholic chaplain for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Father Thom says the former Super Bowl MVP "is just a great guy. No matter what you say, he's just a great guy."

"Nick Foles is a spiritual man."

"It's the way he handles himself. It's not a phony sense he's putting up. It's really him. I think he'll give that sense to the team in Jacksonville this year. He'll bring that sense of praising God."

"You go back to the Super Bowl when he won. All the hoopla around and he took times with his own child first and he thanked God for allowing him to have the skills to win the Super Bowl. It wasn't praise for himself, but it was bringing the praise to the Lord. To me that really stuck."

"You got a good man. That's what I'll say."

Credit: Rob Carr/Getty Images
Nick Foles #9 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after his teams 41-33 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium on February 4, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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