Rams LB Bryce Hager following in father Britt’s footsteps and trying to follow in friend Nick Foles’ in Sunday’s Super Bowl

ATLANTA — Bryce Hager had seen Nick Foles lead their high school to a state football final. He had been with him in 2015, nine years later, during a forgettable season with the then-St. Louis Rams. He watched, like most, when the quarterback led the Eagles to their first Super Bowl championship.

But Hager’s most lasting memory of Foles was when he would come over to his house in Austin, Texas, to play basketball with his older brother, Bron, and simply dominate everyone.

“We had a basketball hoop in our backyard and he’d just whoop everyone,” Hager said. “Dunking on people, shooting over people. Have great memories of watching him play basketball. He was just a great athlete.”

On Monday, Hager was where Foles was almost exactly a year ago — experiencing the hoopla of Super Bowl Opening Night for the first time. The symmetry of their careers, in certain respects, isn’t lost on the Rams linebacker.

Hager, three years after Foles, helped lead Westlake High to the Texas state championship only to also fall short of a title. And after a couple of dismal seasons with the Rams — the first with Foles as the starting quarterback — he’s come out on the other end and is a victory over the New England Patriots away from repeating Foles’ achievement.

If the name Hager sounds familiar to Philadelphians, it’s because Bryce’s father, Britt, played linebacker for the Eagles from 1989-94. And Britt Hager knows as well as anyone how hard it is to get to the Super Bowl.

The Eagles won only one playoff game during Hager’s six-year tenure. He went to the Broncos in 1995 and spent two years in Denver but left before they claimed back-to-back crowns. And he spent his final season in St. Louis with coach Dick Vermeil but retired two years before the Rams won their first title.

“When you play nine years it’s incredibly hard, so you appreciate it more,” Britt Hager said by telephone. “So to see the Rams and where they were four years ago when Bryce was drafted, it’s just amazing.”

Bryce was drafted by then-coach Jeff Fisher, who was his father’s first defensive coordinator with the Eagles.

“When he called me on draft day, he said, ‘It’s crazy how this has come full circle,’” Bryce Hager said. “So he had my dad for a few years and was able to coach me for two years.”

The Rams had acquired Foles in a trade with the Eagles that offseason, shipping quarterback Sam Bradford to Philly. But for various reasons, the marriage didn’t work for either Foles or the Rams, and Hager’s first season in the NFL ended 7-9.

“Everyone has their down years, but Nick has since proved what kind of quarterback he is, what kind of player and teammate he is,” Hager said. “All those characteristics — he’s had them since high school and he had them in St. Louis.”

The Hagers and Foles grew close during Westlake’s state final run. Britt Hager said that Nick’s natural ability to lead was evident even then. It wasn’t hard to pick a side during last year’s Super Bowl.

Unprovoked, Britt Hager took a side in the Foles vs. Carson Wentz argument.

“I just wish Philly would keep Nick,” Hager said. “I know Wentz is young and all that, but I don’t know how you overcome what Nick’s done, and he’s still young. If I had a vote, I’d vote for Nick.

“I agree with Brett Favre, just because as a player, you know what he’s done. It’s incredible. To let someone leave and he’s still got a lot of great football in front of him, I just can’t understand.”

The Hagers have an obvious bias. Bryce said that Foles still sends him encouraging text messages. The 27-year-old recalled how Foles never treated him like many seniors would treat freshmen, even though he wasn’t on varsity.

Having an older brother as Foles’ friend helped. Britt Hager’s four sons would all play football at the collegiate level — Bron at North Texas, Brevyn at Blinn, Bryce at Baylor and the youngest, Breckyn, following in his footsteps at Texas, where he still holds the school mark for career tackles.

Breckyn is available for the draft this offseason. Bryce was selected in the fifth round and has had to fight his way each year onto the Rams roster. But he hasn’t missed a game in four years and this season led the team in special teams tackles.

“He’s super talented,” Rams special teams coach John Fassel said, “but his availability every week in practice and the games is invaluable.”

An interior linebacker, Hager naturally wants to play more on defense. He might have to test free agency this offseason if he wants the opportunity.

“He will be a starter if he can stay healthy,” his father said.

Britt Hager started in 12 games for the Eagles from 1993-94, but a coaching change — Ray Rhodes replaced Rich Kotite — fostered his move to the Broncos. He never quite got over the firing of the previous coach.

“He loved Buddy Ryan,” Bryce Hager said.

Said Britt: “I hated when I had to leave Philly. We went through coaching changes and it was my opportunity to go start with the Broncos. But my heart’s still with Philly because it’s the team that took the chance on me.”

Britt Hager will be here on Sunday to watch his son try to accomplish what he never had the chance to do and what the Hagers vicariously experienced with Foles last year.

“My dad is super excited about this team going to the Super Bowl,” Bryce said, “because he was never able to get this far.”