(670 The Score) After the final whistle of the Bears' 20-19 win against the Buccaneers at Soldier Field on Oct. 8, Chicago quarterback Nick Foles glanced across the field and waited for the opposing quarterback to approach him for the customary postgame handshake.
This wasn't just any opposing quarterback -- it was future Hall of Famer Tom Brady, with whom Foles has shared a history. Foles and the Eagles bested Brady and his Patriots in Super Bowl LII in February 2018, after which Brady spurned Foles on a postgame handshake.
Brady again snubbed Foles after their matchup on Oct. 8, heading off to the visiting locker room instead. On Thursday, Brady was finally asked about it in a media session with reporters in Tampa.
"Nick Foles is a hell of a player and a Super Bowl champ and I don’t know one reason or another why I wouldn’t do that,” Brady said told reporters. “Sometimes I’ve run off of the field, sometimes I haven’t.
“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s anything in particular, but I have great admiration for Nick and I think that he’s a hell of a player. They’re off to a great start.”
Brady has notably exchanged postgame pleasantries with quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Justin Herbert this season. Brady and Foles did exchange a handshake after a preseason game in 2018.
For his part, Foles acknowledged the situation but wasn't too preoccupied with it.
"It's happened a few times," Foles said. "I'm sure that some day, Tom and I will have a great conversation about it and probably just laugh at it. There's obviously history there from a big game we both played in once, and then (the Bears-Buccaneers game on that) Thursday night. It is what it is. I think he's a tremendous player. Some day, we'll have a good conversation."
Foles did get a kick out of legendary quarterback Peyton Manning needling Brady with a Foles reference while Manning and Brady played in a nationally televised charity golf match in May.
"Thinking back to the golf match, I think Peyton was getting under his skin and when he brought my name up, it got to him," Foles said. "I don't know why that is. We've never had that conversation. But I think he's a great player and obviously one of the greatest of all time.
"It wasn't the first time it happened. I just sort of laughed it off and sort of moved on with my life. I'm sure he's doing the same thing."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.