http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/f...0-10_former_jets_quarterback_glenn_foley.html Widman/AP Boston College product Glenn Foley spends five season with the Jets before being traded to the Seahawks in 1999. Mihalek/AP Foley currently is a camp director at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pa. RELATED NEWS PHOTO Where are they now? ARTICLES The Score: Hearn's battle is stuff of heroes Dolphins' future is now: Bring on stinking Jets! Revis puts 'shutdown' back in corner Myers: NFL should give Limbaugh bum's Rush Ailing Eli or Carr Sunday as Giants meet Raiders Glenn Foley suffered broken ribs, separated shoulders and concussions during his short stint in the NFL. But it was nothing compared to what he went through when his playing days were over. Nothing compared to the years of depression that crippled the former Jets quarterback. "It wasn't really a rock bottom," said Foley. "It was more like a death of the soul. Something was being ripped from you that you've done for 30 years. You can't convince yourself to get off the couch." Foley was selected by the Jets in the seventh round of the 1994 draft out of Boston College. The Cherry Hill, N.J. native spent five seasons with Gang Green, watching the Jets go from a 1-15 punch line in 1996 to a club that was just 30 minutes away from the Super Bowl in 1999. Foley even opened the 1998 campaign as the Jets' starting quarterback, but injuries and his performance opened the door for Vinny Testaverde to claim the starting job. Still, Foley was upbeat, but when the Jets dealt him to Seattle in March of 1999, the blow sent him spiraling into darkness. "You can't control what you're doing or what you're thinking," he said. "It was the shock and awe of 'what the hell am I going to do now? What am I?'" Foley's marriage to his high school sweetheart fell apart. The couple had three children but now the family was broken. Foley was lost and needed help, and sought counseling, which he says changed his life. "It was unfortunate that I lost that first marriage, but I never lost sight of the kids," said Foley who has since remarried and has a nine-month-old daughter with his second wife. "If it wasn't for them, who knows what have happened. I was in rough shape." Foley now lives in South Jersey, just a mile away from his ex-wife and children, and is a camp director at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pa., where he brings in former pros like Buffalo's Frank Reich and Boomer Esiason as mentors. "There's no better feeling than teaching a kid something, watching him learn it, and then have him go do it on his own," said Foley. "That's what it's all about for me." Foley also spends time with his Wings Foundation, an organization he founded that helps raise awareness to Polycystic Kidney Disease, a disease that forms cysts on the kidneys, causing them to become enlarged. Foley's mother suffered from the disease and eventually needed a kidney transplant. "We're transforming the Wings Foundation, which originally was just PKD (awareness) and organ donation, (by) adding transplants to it," said Foley. "It's not just taking the organ out, but it's putting the organ in and saving the life of someone else or making their life a lot easier." Foley returns to the Meadowlands from time to time to hang out with fans and hand out information on his foundation. He was there when rookie QB Mark Sanchez upset New England in Week 2. And will be combing the parking lots on Nov. 1 when the Jets host the Dolphins, still spreading the word and telling his story. And he'll do it with a smile on his face.
He was the guy I thought was going to lead us to the SB... Parcells ultimately made the right call with Vinny being the right guy but it's a shame that Foley wasn't there when Vinny went down with the achilles injury.
Wow. That's definitely a sad story, but it's good he's gotten his life turned around. I remember the fan base being all over him in that 98 offseason. I also remember telling people that we should sign Testaverde when he was available as a safety valve with an unknown QB. Either way, that opener in San Francisco was one of the most exciting games I've ever had the privilege to be at.
I was very young when Foley was our QB, and I remember my parents got me his jersey (only God knows why, probably had to do with my dad being a Jets fan also. I actually think that was one of the reasons why I became a Jet fan).
Wow, thanks for posting. Thats what I would call going through the mangler. Shows great character to come through all that. Might even wear my foley Jersey on Monday now.
Really? He gets to watch his life fall apart because he beat Notre Dame? Fuck Notre Dame and the generations of Catholic boys who couldn't ever get in there but continue to feed the faded mystique.
Agreed. That's a fantastic point. What did we get for him, again? A 7th round pick? Quick, someone check what we got for him.
My cousin went to Valley Forge for a year! Anyway, yeah, it sucks about Glenn Foley. But I feel like most washed up NFL guys go through the same thing.
In all honestly, he was great at BC. One of the better college QB's of the 90's. Probably up there with McNabb, Dorsey and Tommy Fraizer.
They had the countdown of best NFL openers on NFL network before the TEN/PIT game week 1 and the 9ers game was picked as either the best or second best opener. They had a few clips of Foley talking about it and he looked well.. I had no idea he went through a rough patch like that but it's great to hear he's doing better.
Foley's marriage to his high school sweetheart fell apart. The couple had three children but now the family was broken. Foley was lost and needed help, and sought counseling, which he says changed his life. "It was unfortunate that I lost that first marriage, but I never lost sight of the kids," said Foley who has since remarried and has a nine-month-old daughter with his second wife. "If it wasn't for them, who knows what have happened. I was in rough shape." ....and why do they always leave/give up on the marriage when the fame and fortune isn't gained........ bitches :finssuck:
Why on earth did Parcells give up on Foley so quickly? I heard that Parcells was pissed because Foley hadn't told him how badly he was injured in the Baltimore game that year. Parcells felt he couldn't trust him - but it was one mistake from a young man who didn't want to risk losing his job and wanted to try and play hurt. Players get praise for that all the time. Then dumping him and having to pick up Rick Mirer to be a back-up - what a dumb decision by Parcells. The Jets came close the playoffs anyway in 1999 with Ray Lucas. With Foley who knows what might have happened.
Yeah I'd imagine with Foley they may not have won the SB but they at the very least win the division. They were still very good once Mirer was benched. I guess Notre Dame's punishment for Glen Foley beating them in 93 was blessing us with Rick Mirer another Irish QB bust.
I remember his come from behind win against Oakland. Me and My bud were so into the game that we set fire to his porch barbequing. That game made me think he could be our full time starter. Fate is a funny thing.
shame, id like to hear more on his depression, they didnt make it very clear. the article just said he got traded to seattle and all of the sudden he spiraled down. thought there could be more emphasis there, but its good to see him recovering.
You know what's weird.... We had a QB who put life & Limb on the line, won in the playoffs and to this day gets treated like shit. This Back up 4 Life has some issues and it's get me a fukin tissue? Not saying I don't feel bad for the guy but WTF seriously?
