The Chicago Bears are geared up and ready for an important NFL draft weekend. Barring something unexpected, their action will start on Friday, April 24th. However, this hasn't stopped them from handling other pieces of business. One of them includes finding jersey numbers for their long list of new additions. People might think this isn't all that interesting, but there were a few surprises worth noting. Topping the list is Nick Foles.
People weren't sure what the veteran quarterback would go with. He's had several different numbers in his career. He worked #7 last season in Jacksonville, #4 in Kansas City, and #5 in St. Louis with the Rams. However, he's best known for wearing #9 in Philadelphia. However, he stated last year he was leaving that number behind with the Eagles. Apparently he's come to his senses as he'll once again be wearing that digit in Chicago.
This is a smart decision. Not only because it returns him to a number he's comfortable with and had lots of luck with in the past. It's also a number that previous Bears enjoyed a lot of success with. This includes all-time kicker Robbie Gould along with Jim McMahon and Billy Wade. The last two quarterbacks to win championships in Chicago.
Nick Foles is betting on himself but knows luck plays a part
Expectations around the league paint a clear picture. Barring a complete transformation from Mitch Trubisky this summer, Foles is expected to emerge as the winner of the upcoming quarterback competition. His confidence this would happen was apparent from the moment he restructured his contract to make the trade happen. He wanted to play for Matt Nagy and be a starter in the league.
At the same time, this change of heart shows a learned lesson. Sometimes the best thing to do is stick with what works best. The #9 has given him all of the success in his NFL career. That may be a coincidence or it could be luck. One thing that's certain about this league is having good luck can often mean the difference between bridesmaids and brides.
