Josh Sweat Reveals Eagles Have Quietly Retired Number of Recent Legend

The Philadelphia Eagles have had many iconic players come and go with each individual leaving an unforgettable mark in the City of Brotherly Love. Veteran quarterback Nick Foles is one of those fan-favorites after leading the Eagles to an improbable Super Bowl LII victory over Tom Brady's New England Patriots.

Foles suited up in 40 games (32 starts) wearing an Eagles jersey, leading the team to a 21-11 record while throwing for 8,703 passing yards, 58 touchdowns, and 23 interceptions along the way. Even though he hasn't played a game in a Philadelphia uniform since the 2018 campaign, no one has worn his iconic No. 9 since then.

And, as it turns out, there's a chance that no one will ever wear it again.

Eagles Rumors: Nick Foles' Jersey Unofficially Retired?

Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat may have accidentally revealed that the franchise has unofficially retired Foles' jersey. According to CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr, Sweat wanted to switch his jersey to No. 9 this offseason, however, he had to settle for No. 19 because it's off-limits.

"I wore 9 in high school and wore 9 in college," Sweat told reporters on Monday. "But I can’t get 9 now because it’s retired."

If Foles' number is unofficially retired, you likely wouldn't hear many complaints from Eagles fans. After all, the former Arizona product is the only quarterback to lead the Eagles to a championship in franchise history. He completed 72.6% of passes across his three 2017 postseason starts, throwing for 971 passing yards, six TDs, and one INT en route to taking home Super Bowl LII MVP honors.

The Eagles might also be waiting for Foles' official NFL retirement before memorializing his number at Lincoln Financial Field. The 35-year-old signal-caller hasn't laced up his cleats since spending the 2022 NFL season with the Indianapolis Colts.

In May 2023, Foles discussed his potential retirement with the Philadelphia Inquirer. The ex-Wildcat told reporter Kerith Gabriel that he's contemplated retiring "almost every year of my career" and that he's looking forward to focusing on his family once his playing days are over.

With the 2024 season nearing and zero recent updates about his future, chances are that we've seen the last of Foles in the NFL. He might not have been the next Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, but Foles did an excellent job at carving out an unforgettable legacy in the City of Brotherly Love. As great as record-breaking TD numbers are, becoming a Philly legend likely means more to the down-to-earth QB.

If this really is the end of the line for Foles, chances are that it won't take the Eagles long to celebrate his career.

Only nine numbers have been retired in Philadelphia across the franchise's 91-year history, leaving time to tell if Foles will be the 10th name to join that list.

In other Eagles news: