February 4, 2018. Fourth and goal. Thirty-eight seconds before halftime. Nick Foles walks over to Doug Pederson and asks, “You want Philly Philly?” His proposal: let a tight end throw a touchdown pass to a backup quarterback who has never caught a ball in his NFL career. In the Super Bowl. Against Bill Belichick. Pederson stares at him for 2.23 seconds. Then he says yes.

The great Peter King joins me to relive the Philly Special and the little details that made something so preposterous possible. Why Foles couldn’t smile in the huddle. Why Trey Burton had to keep his glove on. And why Foles turned down $150,000 before playing the greatest game of his life. Tom Brady threw for 505 yards that night. Nick Foles went home with the trophy. Eventually, even Mick Jagger had something to say about it.

Peter’s new book, THE GAME, which is out today, brings together stories from 40 years covering the NFL, and we get into a few more of them: Peyton Manning’s tanning-bed preparation for the combine, the inside help Dak Prescott got before his Cowboys interview, and the quarterback San Francisco picked instead of Tom Brady who became an actual goat farmer. Plus, Peter makes his case for the perfect football career. Brady? Manning? Madden? His answer might surprise you.

Welcome to Episode 020 of REAL DEAL! I’m Tony Reali, and I’m so happy you’re here.

Subscribe to REAL DEAL with Tony Reali for more unforgettable sports moments and the people who bring them to life.

0:00 The Philly Special
0:52 Peter King joins REAL DEAL
2:11 Why this play still amazes Peter
4:35 Doug Pederson’s 2.23-second decision
7:24 Don’t smile. Don’t take off the glove.
9:26 How the Eagles fooled the Patriots
11:04 Nick Foles’ focus and the $150,000 he turned down
13:55 Mick Jagger’s shoutout to Nick Foles
15:44 How the NFL became a year-round obsession
18:17 Peter’s case against an 18th game
20:12 The trust between quarterback and coach
22:58 Mahomes and Reid vs. Brady and Belichick
24:26 What fans don’t know about the NFL
26:46 Story time: Picking up Boomer Esiason
27:59 Peyton Manning’s bizarre combine preparation
29:33 How Dak Prescott got the answers to the test
31:00 The 49ers picked a future goat farmer over Tom Brady
32:53 The Seahawks’ prank on Marshawn Lynch
34:22 Peter’s favorite story: Paul Tagliabue after 9/11
37:53 Who had the perfect football career?
42:03 Peter’s Philly Special gift
43:18 Tony’s final thought on Peter King

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