Reporting from Minneapolis — Nick Foles was threading it like Betsy Ross.
He could have squeezed his passes through the crack in the Liberty Bell.
But the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback didn’t try to do it all Sunday in the biggest game of his life.
“The big thing that helped me is knowing I didn’t have to be Superman,” said Foles, standing at a lectern after the 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots, his freshly minted Super Bowl T-shirt pulled tight over his pads. “I had amazing teammates, amazing coaches around me. All I had to do is go play as hard as I could, play for one another, play for those guys.”
And play for a city that hadn’t won an NFL title since 1960, long before any of these Eagles were born, the guys passing the Lombardi Trophy around and pretending to puff on unlit cigars.
It was truly a Rocky story come to life, with Foles being the first quarterback to come off the bench and lead his team to a Super Bowl victory since Tom Brady 16 years earlier.
Brady was scorching in this one, throwing for a postseason-record 505 yards and three touchdowns. But Foles, who considered retiring after negotiating his release from the Rams in 2016, wasn’t far behind him. He threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns, and even caught a touchdown pass — one-upping Brady, who couldn’t hang on to a ball thrown to him on a trick play.
We all saw the Patriots last year, the way they erased a 25-point deficit in the Super Bowl against Atlanta, to come back and win in overtime.
While Philadelphia was running the RPO on Sunday — the run-pass option — the Patriots were running the DVR, a not-so-instant replay of that monumental comeback. But Foles didn’t panic. With his team trailing 33-32 and 9:22 left, he mounted a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz.
“I wasn’t worried about the scoreboard, I wasn’t worried about the time, I was just playing ball,” Foles said. “I think sometimes you worry about that so much it starts creeping into your brain. I was just playing. Whatever play Doug [Pederson] called, I was just going to go out there and rip it.”
He ripped it, and it was RIP to New England. Foles was named the game’s most valuable player, the night after Brady won that for the season.
The Eagles showed astounding resiliency this season, having lost nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters, playmaking middle linebacker Jordan Hicks, and most importantly, quarterback Carson Wentz, who was the leading MVP candidate at the time.
When Wentz suffered his season-ending knee injury in a Week 14 game at the Rams, and Foles replaced him, the Eagles’ chances looked as stone cold as the temperature outside the Super Bowl stadium.
“A lot of people counted him out and didn’t think he could get it done,” Pederson said. “I believed in him, the players believed in him. We just needed time, we needed time together to work out some things. This whole postseason Nick has shown exactly who he is, and what he’s capable of doing.”
Teammate Jay Ajayi knew.
“Everyone doubts him and everyone talks about him,” the running back said. “And he just continued to step up to the plate and hit home runs. A special player, composed, confident, veteran leader, and he helped us win the game. MVP.”
Foles is deeper than a Hail Mary. He’s a family man, a devout Christian who grew up intending to be a pastor, and now a Philadelphia icon for the rest of time.
“Being on the podium with my wife, Tori, my daughter, Lily, that’s what life’s about right there,” he said. “We’re Super Bowl champs, but time does stop when you get to look in your daughter’s eyes and you get to celebrate this moment. I look in my wife’s eyes and get to celebrate with her.”
His voice wavered slightly, and he gripped the sides of the lectern tighter.
“They’ve been there… To be in this moment, to celebrate this moment, that’s what it’s about. Just grateful.”
Cry, Eagle, cry.
You’ve earned it.
1/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles raises the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII.
(Patrick Smith / Getty Images) 2/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, left, celebrates with head coach Doug Pederson after winning the Super Bowl.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press) 3/38
Patriots coach Bill Belichick walks off the field after losing Super Bowl LII to the Philadelphia Eagles.
(Mark Humphrey / Associated Press) 4/38
Quarterback Nick Foles celebrates with his daughter Lily after the Eagles’ 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.
(Rob Carr / Getty Images) 5/38
Eagles receiver Nelson Agholor celebrates winning Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots on Feb. 4.
(Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) 6/38
Eagles teammates Alshon Jeffery (17) and Najee Goode (52) celebrate defeating the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII.
(Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) 7/38
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) and Eagles defensive backs Rodney McLeod (23) and Jaylen Watkins (26) jump for a pass in the end zone on the final play of Super Bowl LII
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press) 8/38
On the final play of the game, Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots is swarmed by the Philadelphia Eagles, failing to catch the long pass from Patriots quaterback Tom Brady.
(TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP/Getty Images) 9/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles celebrates a touchdown pass to Zach Ertz during the second half of Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots on Feb. 4.
(Jeff Roberson / Associated Press) 10/38
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady reacts after fumbling the ball during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII.
(Rob Carr / Getty Images) 11/38
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz (86) dives into the end zone over Patriots defensive back Devin McCourty (32) for the go-ahead touchdown during the second half of Super Bowl LII.
(Frank Franklin II / Associated Press) 12/38
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz dives into the end zone for a touchdown during the second half of Super Bowl LII.
(Matt York / Associated Press) 13/38
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz dives into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown catch during the second half of Super Bowl LII.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images) 14/38
Eagles tight end Zach Ertz juggles the ball after diving into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown catch during the second half of Super Bowl LII.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images) 15/38
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady fumbles against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LII.
(Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) 16/38
Philadelphia Eagles’ Corey Clement, right, catches a touchdown pass in front of New England Patriots’ Marquis Flowers during the second half of the Super Bowl.
(Jeff Roberson / AP) 17/38
Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) makes a catch while defended by Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore (24) in the second quarter of Super Bowl LII.
(Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) 18/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) is congratulated by his teammate Nate Sudfeld (7) after his one-yard touchdown reception during the second quarter of Super Bowl LII.
(Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images) 19/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) catches a one-yard touchdown pass against the New England Patriots during the second quarter of Super Bowl LII.
(Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images) 20/38
Eagles tight end Trey Burton, left, throws a touchdown pass to Nick Foles during the first half of Super Bowl LII.
(Mark Humphrey / Associated Press) 21/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) is congratulated by head coach Doug Pederson after his one-yard touchdown reception during Super Bowl LII.
(Rob Carr / Getty Images) 22/38
Eagles running back Corey Clement, right, runs against Patriots strong safety Duron Harmon during the first half of Super Bowl LII.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press) 23/38
Rex Burkhead #34 of the New England Patriots is tackled by Corey Graham #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the second quarter in Super Bowl LII.
(Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) 24/38
New England Patriots’ Stephon Gilmore, top, breaks up a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles’ Alshon Jeffery during the first half of the Super Bowl.
(Matt Slocum / AP) 25/38
Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski (3) misses a field goal during the first half of Super Bowl LII.
(Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press) 26/38
Eagles head coach Doug Pederson reacts during the first half of Super Bowl LII against the New England Patriots.
(Matt Slocum / Associated Press) 27/38
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII.
(Elsa Garrison / Getty Images) 28/38
Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9)\ gestures after throwing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Alshon Jeffery during the first half of Super Bowl LII.
(Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press) 29/38
Eagles receiver Alshon Jeffery catches the ball in front of Patriots cornerback Eric Rowe to score a touchdown during Super Bowl LII.
(Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images) 30/38
Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) makes a touchdown catch against Patriots cornerback Eric Rowe (25) during the first half of Super Bowl LII.
(Chris O’Meara / Associated Press) 31/38
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in Super Bowl LII.
(Patrick Smith / Getty Images) 32/38
Eagles free safety Rodney McLeod (23) tackles Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) during the first half of Super Bowl LII.
(Chris O’Meara / Associated Press) 33/38
Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) can’t make a touchdown catch against the Eagles in the first quarter of Super Bowl LII.
(Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images) 34/38
Eagles runing back Corey Clement (30) carries the ball against Patriots defensive back Duron Harmon (30) in the first quarter of Super Bowl LII.
(Gregory Shamus / Getty Images) 35/38
Recording artist Pink sings the National Anthem before the start of Super Bowl LII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
(Timothy A. Clary / AFP/Getty Images) 36/38
Pink sings the national anthem prior to Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
(Rob Carr / Getty Images) 37/38
Leslie Odom Jr. sings “America the Beautiful” prior to Super Bowl LII.
(Rob Carr / Getty Images) 38/38
Recording artist Pink sings the National Anthem before the start of Super Bowl LII.
(Angela Weiss / AFP/Getty Images) [email protected]
Follow Sam Farmer on Twitter @LATimesfarmer
