Super Bowl hero Nick Foles could earn $1 million bonus if Eagles make playoffs

Nick Foles became a cult hero after winning the Philadelphia Eagles’ first Super Bowl last season, and he may complete another improbably comeback by leading the Eagles to the postseason.

This time, if he does so, it will likely make him $1 million richer.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Foles has a $1 million incentive in his contract if he plays 33 percent of the Eagles’ snaps and the team makes the playoffs. Foles is likely going to reach the snap count threshold — although not a lock — but the Eagles will need some help to make the postseason.

Foles is on pace to play 33 percent of snaps

In his four games, Nick Foles has taken 296 of the team’s 1,021 snaps, which is good for 28.99 percent. To reach that golden 33 percent, Foles will need to take in 62 snaps this Sunday against the Washington Redskins. He could even miss a snap, like he did last week.

Luckily for Foles, he doesn’t have to play at least a third of the team’s snaps, or else he’d have to appear in 67 plays.

The Eagles have averaged 68.1 plays per game this season, including 74.3 snaps per game in the four contests he’s started. Foles’ season-low is 64 plays, although Carson Wentz has played three games with fewer than 62 snaps and two games with exactly that number of snaps.

The Eagles’ playoff chances are murkier

Here comes the trickier part: The Eagles still need to qualify for the playoffs for Foles to earn his seven-figure bonus. That may have seemed like the easier half of the equation in the offseason, but after a 4-6 start, Foles has the Eagles back within striking distance.

The Eagles need to win on Sunday, while they’ll also need the Minnesota Vikings to drop their contest against the Chicago Bears. The Eagles are favored by 7, while the Vikings are favored by 5.5 points, despite the Bears being tied for the third-best record in football.

Overall, FiveThirtyEight gives the Eagles a 28 percent chance of making the playoff despite their 65 percent chance of winning Sunday’s game.

Other players have similar incentive structures

Foles isn’t the only player who could see a windfall if his team makes the playoffs. Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle has a clause in his contract that would pay him $1 million if he makes the Pro Bowl and the playoffs, and he fulfilled the former with his sixth Pro Bowl nod earlier this week. FiveThirtyEight gives Weddle a much better chance of cashing in at a 84 percent likelihood.

Both Weddle and Foles are doing fairly well without the bonus, as their base salaries are $6.5 million and $10.25 million, respectively. But who wouldn’t love to make the playoffs and get a pay raise?

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