Nick Foles Enters Broncos QB Conversation

Nick Foles isn’t joining the Denver Broncos, but his viral message to Broncos fans after Bo Nix’s season-ending ankle injury has sparked enough buzz that his name suddenly popped up in the team’s quarterback conversation online.

With Nix ruled out for the rest of the postseason, Denver head coach Sean Payton has already said backup Jarrett Stidham will start the AFC Championship Game, with the Broncos set to host the New England Patriots on Jan. 25.

Nick Foles’ Broncos Tweet Took Off After Ian Rapoport Shared It

Foles posted a note aimed at Broncos fans, acknowledging how “emotional” the last 24 hours have been and sending prayers for Nix’s recovery, then added a line that lit up social media: a reminder that the Patriots have struggled against backup quarterbacks in “championship-type games.”

The post quickly traveled once NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reposted it to his own audience, essentially turning a retired quarterback’s message into a national talking point.

That combo — Broncos heartbreak + Patriots matchup + a Super Bowl MVP invoking “backup QB” magic — helped drive a quick spike in searches for Foles’ name, and it’s why fans started half-joking (and sometimes not joking) about whether he’d be the ultimate emergency option.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter also picked up on the tweet, adding more gasoline to the fire.

What It Means for the Broncos: Stidham Is Up, but the Pressure Is Real

The Broncos’ reality is straightforward: Stidham is the next man up.

Nix suffered the broken ankle late in Denver’s 33-30 overtime playoff win over the Buffalo Bills, and Payton said surgery is coming. Stidham, meanwhile, is now staring at the biggest start of his career, an AFC title game, at home, against a Patriots team that just earned its way into the matchup.

That’s the “pressure” piece Foles was really tapping into: Denver’s season doesn’t pause because the starter got hurt. The Broncos still have to function — and win — with a backup.

Key details to know right now:

• Bo Nix injury: broken ankle; out for remainder of postseason; surgery planned.
• Next starter: Jarrett Stidham, per Sean Payton.
• Next game: AFC Championship Game vs. Patriots (Jan. 25 in Denver).

Why Foles’ Patriots Line Hit: The “Backup QB” History

Foles is one of the most famous “backup QB” stories in modern NFL history — and he’s attached to the Patriots forever because he beat New England in Super Bowl LII, earning MVP honors.

So when Foles points at “backup QBs” and “championship-type games,” fans instantly know what he’s referencing, and why it’s such an on-the-nose (and slightly troll-ish) comment with Denver potentially heading into its biggest game with Stidham under center.

It also explains why the tweet didn’t just land as a generic well-wish. It landed like a wink from the guy who’s already lived the exact storyline the Broncos are now trying to survive.

Worth noting: Foles officially retired in 2024, so this is about a viral moment and the search spike, not a report that Denver is signing him. Though, that hasn’t stopped many from suggesting the Broncos should in fact sign Foles. 

Why Nick Foles Is Trending (Twitter, Statue, Wife)

Foles is trending because he jumped into the Broncos’ moment on X (formerly Twitter) with a message about Bo Nix and a little Patriots shade, then NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reposted it, which helped it explode outside of Broncos circles.

In the post, Foles told Broncos fans he knows it’s been an “emotional 24 hours,” said he’s “sending prayers for a strong recovery,” and added that New England has “struggle[d] against backup QBs in championship-type games.”

That’s why fans are flocking (no Eagles pun intended) to Nick Foles’ twitter. Fans are searching for the exact post, the Rapoport repost, and the context for why Foles is suddenly tied to a Broncos-Patriots storyline.

The Nick Foles statue breakout makes sense, too, because Foles is already a living NFL legend in one city: Philadelphia. There’s a well-known “Philly Special” statue at Lincoln Financial Field depicting the moment Foles asked Doug Pederson about the trick play (“Philly Philly”), commemorating the Super Bowl LII run.

And yes, “Nick Foles wife” is a common follow-up search whenever he goes viral: Foles is married to Tori Moore (Tori Foles). They have three children: daughter Lily James, son Duke Nathan, and a younger son Bodie Edward. Moore has also spoken publicly about health challenges, including POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).

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