Super Lessons From the Super Bowl...

"Don't quit before the magic happens", I heard my mother-in-law quietly and proudly say in front of an arena of 15,000 entrepreneurs who were hanging on her every word. But she was speaking directly to me.

In a previous blog, I spoke about the New England Patriots football team, and the dynasty they have created over the last 17+ years. And how it was a direct result of their coach and system. Well this season, in Super Bowl LII, my team, The Philadelphia Eagles, upset the Patriots in stunning fashion and FINALLY won their first Super Bowl. And they did it with a back-up quarterback named Nick Foles.

After being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2012, Nick Foles was eventually traded to the St. Louis Rams in 2015. Although he had had some success with the Eagles, he struggled mightily with the Rams, and contemplated retirement. See, Nick Foles wants to impact people in more ways than just playing football, and has dreams of one day becoming a pastor. But for some reason, he just couldn't end his professional football career on a down note. He requested a release from the Rams in 2016 and went to be with Andy Reid (the coach who drafted him) and the Kansas City Chiefs. He spent one season in Kansas City before returning in 2017 to be a backup with the Eagles.

After a season ending injury to the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback Carson Wentz in week 14 (coincidentally against the now Los Angeles Rams), Foles stepped in and was named the starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. He filled in extraordinarily well, leading the Eagles to their first playoff win in 9 seasons, and eventually to Super Bowl LII. The rest is history. The Eagles won the game and Foles was named the Super Bowl MVP in front of his wife, 7 month old daughter, and hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

What's so incredible about this story is that had Nick Foles quit on his football career in 2015, the "magic" would have never happened. He would have never fulfilled his dream of being a winner, would have never brought back a championship for the city of Philadelphia, and would have just gone down in history as "another player". Because he didn't quit, he will forever be remembered as a legend by an entire city. His wife and daughter and future children will know their dad was a super bowl champion. And most of all, he will know; That all this happened because he simply didn't give up.

In an interview before the Super Bowl, Foles was asked about his daughter and became emotional. “That’s the most important thing,” Foles said after a pause. “When I think about this journey and everything, I get home and I, uh … ” Foles turned his head for a moment in an attempt to compose himself.

“I get to see her. I get to see my wife,” Foles continued. “I see her and my wife, just in her face and in her mannerisms, that’s what it’s about. I know that every time I step on the field, every single thing I do, there’s going to be some days she looks and wants to know who her daddy was and what he did. I want her to be proud of her daddy.”

I have a feeling that won't be a problem, Nick.