DONE: Clemson Star Quarterback announce Retirement
Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik has had many people support him on his journey to where he is today, including one who recently retired.
Nick Foles, a long-time NFL quarterback, announced his retirement last week. Foles, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII and earned the MVP title in that game, capped off a remarkable career. During his time in the NFL, Foles played for several teams, including the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Chicago, and Indianapolis. Despite being a third-round pick from Arizona, he far exceeded expectations.
Foles finished his career with over 14,000 passing yards and shares two unique records: seven touchdown passes in a single game and 25 consecutive completions. Additionally, he holds the record for the highest career playoff completion percentage (68.1%).
Foles and Klubnik share a connection through their high school, Westlake in Austin, Texas, a powerhouse in Texas football. At Westlake, Foles broke records previously set by NFL legend Drew Brees. Klubnik followed in Foles’ footsteps, passing for 7,426 yards, 86 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while winning three state championships.
Klubnik considers Foles a mentor and was asked by the Greenville News about Foles’ retirement. With a touch of humor, he responded, “I thought he retired a few years ago, to be honest.” Foles last played in 2022.
Klubnik spoke highly of Foles’ influence on his career, saying, “Nick’s awesome. One of the best guys I know. He helped me through the whole high school recruiting process. I called him a couple of weeks ago just to ask, ‘Hey, do you have any tips on how to use a headset?’ Having someone like him, who has played my position at the highest level and won on the biggest stage, I’m really thankful to have a mentor like that.”
As the former Texas Gatorade Player of the Year, Klubnik enters 2024 as Clemson’s starting quarterback for the second consecutive season. In his Tigers career, he has thrown for 3,541 yards with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, along with 231 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He was the top-ranked quarterback in Clemson’s 2022 recruiting class and is eligible for the NFL Draft after this season.