Calais Campbell on Nick Foles: ‘If He Didn’t Get Hurt, He’d Be Competing for MVP of the League Right Now.’
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Calais Campbell has not been shy about handing out praise to quarterback Nick Foles in the past, and Friday was no exception as the Jaguars' defensive captain spoke highly of the team's starting quarterback during an episode of ESPN's First Take.
"Love him. Love him. Ultimate leader, such a good guy," Campbell told Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman when asked about Foles.
"I really, truly believe this too: If he didn't get hurt, he'd be competing for MVP of the league right now. I know that is a big statement, but he is, you know, an incredible (player)."
Foles went down with a clavicle injury during the first quarter of Jacksonville's Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew II started for Jacksonville and went 4-4 over that span.
Head coach Doug Marrone announced Tuesday that Foles, who returned from the team's reserve/injured list Tuesday, would be the Jaguars' starter moving forward. Foles' first start since Week 1 will come in Week 11 against the Indianapolis colts, with the 4-5 Jaguars currently in a bye week.
"He is selfless," Campbell said about Foles. "He just wants what is best for everybody else. He is just the ultimate - he wants to know who you are. you know, what drives you."
Cambell continued, "You see him on the field, he has fun out there. I mean, he is out there playing scout team for us the past couple weeks and he is having fun.
When it came to the question on if Campbell thinks Foles could lead the 2019 Jaguars to the playoffs, and the defensive star explained why he thinks it is possible.
"I am very confident where we are at as a team," Campbell said. "I think we have a lot of work to do, but I think we are going places. We got one week at a time, but we are going places."
