Nick Foles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady responded Thursday to continued criticism from Philadelphia Eagles fans for not shaking the hand of then-Eagles quarterback Nick Foles after the New England Patriots' 41-33 loss to Philly in Super Bowl LII.

According to ESPN's Jenna Laine, Brady said he was not aware of how big of a deal the snub was to Eagles fans before, adding: "I've shaken Nick's hand plenty of times, though. I've got a lot of respect for Nick."

Brady also said: "I try to be a good sport as best as I can. I know it doesn't always look like that because sometimes I get a little pissed out there, but for the most part, I try to be a good sport."

On Sunday, Brady will face the Eagles in the playoffs for the first time since that game four years ago.

When the Patriots and Eagles met again the following preseason, Brady and Foles did share a handshake after the game.

When Brady and the Bucs were upset 20-19 by Foles and the Chicago Bears last season, however, Brady once again did not shake hands with Foles afterward.

Foles is far removed from his tenure in Philadelphia at this point, having played for both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Bears since then. Instead, Brady and Co. will have to deal with dual-threat signal-caller Jalen Hurts.

In his first full season as Philly's starter, Hurts went 8-7 and helped lead the surprising Eagles to a playoff berth.

He completed 61.3 percent of his passes for 3,144 yards, 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions while rushing for 784 yards and 10 scores, which led all quarterbacks.

Brady and the second-seeded Bucs, who are also the reigning Super Bowl champions, are big favorites at home against the seventh-seeded Eagles.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion isn't taking his opponents lightly, though, as he praised the Eagles by saying: "They make you earn everything. You make a mistake, you get a penalty—you're going to punt. The ball gets batted in the air; they're going to intercept it. You hold onto the ball too long; they're going to strip-sack it. It's a team that just doesn't let you off the hook."

Brady has lost only 11 times in playoff games during his 45-game postseason career, and the loss to the Eagles in Super Bowl LII was undoubtedly among the most shocking.

If Philadelphia can beat him Sunday, that defeat would be in the running for the most surprising of Brady's career as well.

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy announced Friday that Andy Dalton will start at quarterback in Sunday's regular-season finale against the Minnesota Vikings. Nick Foles is set to serve as the backup.

Nagy explained it's possible signal-caller Justin Fields, who's on the NFL's reserve/COVID-19 list, could still test out of the protocols before Sunday, but the rookie has missed too much practice time this week to play a key role.

If Fields' debut campaign is over, it comes to a close with mixed results.

The 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft completed 58.9 percent of his throws for 1,870 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions across 12 games (10 starts). He added 420 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

The Ohio State product ranked last among 31 qualified quarterbacks in ESPN's Total QBR (25.7) and received a lackluster 64.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

That's not to say there weren't moments when he flashed his potential.

He rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown in a Week 8 game against the San Francisco 49ers to highlight his dual-threat ability, and he put together his most comprehensive performance as a passer (26-of-39 for 285 yards with one TD and no picks) in Week 15 against the Vikes.

Fields should enter the 2022 campaign as the Bears' undisputed starting quarterback.

Meanwhile, Dalton is set to become a free agent at season's end and gets one final opportunity to prove himself to potentially interested teams.

The 34-year-old former Cincinnati Bengals starter has compiled seven touchdowns and seven interceptions in seven appearances (five starts) in 2021.

Both the Bears (6-10) and Vikings (7-9) have been eliminated from playoff contention heading into the Week 18 encounter.

Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy says Andy Dalton will start at quarterback for Sunday's game against the New York Giants.

Dalton gets the nod over Nick Foles, who started Week 16's win over the Seattle Seahawks. Starter Justin Fields remains out with an ankle injury.

Dalton will be making his fifth start of the 2021 season. He began the campaign as the starter but gave way to Fields after being injured in Week 2's win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Fields has started 10 games, with Dalton mixing back in when the rookie missed Weeks 12 and 13 with injuries. 

Injuries to Dalton and Fields paved the way for Foles last week, who responded with 250 yards and a touchdown without an interception in the Bears' 25-24 win in Seattle.

It's unclear why Dalton will get the nod over Foles this week, other than some strict adherence to a preseason depth chart. Foles' performance against the Seahawks was arguably better than any effort Dalton has put forth in what's been a wildly disappointing campaign for the Bears offense.

With Nagy likely playing out the string on his final two games as Bears coach, it's perhaps one final head-scratching decision to leave on. 

Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy announced Friday that Nick Foles will start at quarterback in Sunday's Week 16 game against the Seattle Seahawks with Justin Fields unable to practice because of an ankle injury.

Nagy said Fields, who's listed as questionable, will serve as the backup if he's cleared to play. Andy Dalton is out with groin and left hand injuries, so Ryan Willis would be elevated from the practice squad as the backup if Fields is out.

The fanbase got its wish when the Bears not only selected Fields with the No. 11 pick in the 2021 draft but also elevated him to the starting role in Week 3 due to an injury to Dalton.

The organization hasn't exactly set Fields up for success right out of the gate, though. The offensive line has been consistently bad, and head coach Matt Nagy seemed unable to tailor the offense to the rookie's skill set.

Through 12 appearances, the Ohio State product has thrown for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He has also suffered injuries to his ribs and left hand over the course of the year.

Fields has been one of the better quarterbacks from the 2021 draft class, which is both an endorsement of his play and an indictment of his fellow first-year signal-callers.

At 4-10, the Bears are already assured of their first losing season since 2017, and they could be looking at a coaching change in the offseason. Another injury to Fields adds to a bitterly disappointing year in the Windy City.

Foles, the Super Bowl LII MVP with the Philadelphia Eagles, started seven games for the Bears last season. He'll reclaim the top spot on the depth chart for at least one week as he makes his first appearance of 2021.