The Philadelphia Eagles on Monday officially announced their starting quarterback for Week 1. The Eagles open the season against the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday, as they attempt to defend their Super Bowl title. When they take the field, Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles will be under center. 

It had been reported earlier this week that Foles would start, but the Eagles did not confirm that until Monday morning. Foles has been starting for Philly since late last season, when MVP candidate Carson Wentz tore his ACL. 

Foles struggled a bit down the stretch of the regular season, but was electric during the playoffs and was the best player on the field during the Super Bowl. He tore up the Patriots defense for 373 passing yards and three scores, and caught a touchdown pass himself on the play that became known as the "Philly Special." 

The Eagles have used Foles as their starter throughout the preseason while Wentz continues to recover. Wentz has been doing some work during camp but has still not yet been cleared for contact. The team decided to sit him down for the start of the year, prioritizing his long-term health over the immediate needs of the franchise. It's expected that whenever he returns to full health, he will start and Foles will go back to being the backup. 

The team gave Foles a raise this offseason to reward him for his postseason performance and keep him in Philly for at least another year. As noted by ESPN's Field Yates, Foles also has the potential to earn even more money so long as he is on the field. 

That's not a bad deal for Foles, but it's also pretty good for the Eagles. After all, if there is any team in the league that can feel comfortable starting its backup quarterback, it's the one whose backup just took them to the Super Bowl.