Foles credits AI for sparking his entry into fantasy football

Nick Foles, the Super Bowl LII MVP, says artificial intelligence helped spark his interest in fantasy football after his playing days. In a recent interview with Fox News Digital, Foles described how AI, including WatsonX features integrated into the ESPN Fantasy Football App, gives him access to information he previously lacked as a casual follower. "AI has intrigued me to actually do fantasy football because now I have all the information. I’m at the beginning stages, so you get to see the genesis of me starting to play fantasy football because of this," Foles said.

"So I’m actually at the beginning stages like a newbie out there, but it intrigued me that they have this WatsonX AI in it to make these decisions because, beforehand, I’m like I don’t have time to research all these players to build a fantasy team, but now with it, it allows that," he added.

Foles framed fantasy football management as running his own small franchise, saying, "You are the general manager of your own fantasy football team, but beforehand you didn’t have information a general manager has, like Howie Roseman for the Philadelphia Eagles. He has this entire staff that the Eagles are paying that does sports analytics, free agents, rookies, whatever it may be." The quarterback acknowledged the gap between a fan’s access to data and a professional front office, noting that AI tools can help bridge that divide.

The ESPN Fantasy Football App has more than 12 million players, and Foles said the IBM features within the app make it a more enjoyable process. "But it makes it a more enjoyable process with more information to where hopefully you make better decisions and you have a great outcome. But as we know in football injuries happen, different things happen, offenses change, defenses change, but I think it’s an amazing tool to help the users make better decisions and learn more about the game honestly," Foles said.

The new AI models from IBM arm fantasy football players with information to help them buy low and sell high on players in trades, and predict which players might boom or bust depending on their matchup that week.

Foles’ post-NFL career has kept him in the public eye even as he transitions away from the field. He played 11 NFL seasons and was named Super Bowl LII MVP for leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a title over the New England Patriots. Across 71 games (58 starts), he compiled a 29-29 record with a 62.4% completion rate, throwing for 14,227 yards and 82 touchdowns against 47 interceptions. The quarterback’s career included stints with the Eagles, Rams, Chiefs, Bears, Jaguars and Colts, a résumé that situates him among the more durable postseason performers of his era.

As AI and data analytics become more embedded in mainstream sports experiences, Foles’ comments highlight a broader shift in how fans engage with fantasy sports. The expanding role of AI tools in consumer apps aligns with a growing trend of “decision-support” features that attempt to replicate some of the research depth once reserved for professional teams. Whether casual players like Foles will see consistent improvements in their outcomes remains to be seen, but the integration underscores how technology is changing the fantasy sports landscape for millions of participants.

Images are provided as part of coverage from Fox News Digital. |

In another update to the blend of football and technology, Foles emphasized that AI-driven insights aren’t a substitution for understanding the game but rather a tool to augment decision-making. He noted that even with sophisticated analytics, football—like fantasy sports—remains susceptible to unpredictability, such as injuries, lineup changes, and strategic shifts by opponents. Nevertheless, he suggested AI can help fans understand trends, evaluate matchups, and learn more about the sport’s evolving tactical landscape.

As the sports world continues to adopt artificial intelligence and machine learning, Foles’ remarks may presage broader adoption among players, coaches, and fans. The use of AI to simulate scouting, project player value, and guide roster decisions could become more commonplace as developers refine models and expand data feeds. For now, Foles’ path—from player to AI-enabled fantasy participant—offers a window into how top-level analytics are penetrating the fan experience and reshaping what it means to follow and play fantasy football.

Despite the growing sophistication of AI tools, Foles’ ultimate metric remains simple: better decisions lead to more enjoyable play and potentially better outcomes. As his post-NFL journey unfolds, he will likely continue to test how AI-assisted fantasy football can inform his own rosters and perhaps inspire others to explore the intersection of technology and sport.