Now former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Carson Wentz, was traded to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, Feb. 18. In exchange, Philadelphia has received a 2021 third-round draft pick, and a 2022 conditional second-round draft pick. The conditional pick for next season’s draft is contingent upon the on-field performance of Wentz. Wentz will have to play at least 75 percent of the snaps throughout next season in order for the second-round draft pick to then become a first-round draft selection.
During Wentz’s tenure in Philadelphia, the 28-year-old quarterback, once the second overall draft-pick in 2016, finished with a 35-32-1 record. In Wentz’s second NFL season, he was able to finish his season with an 11-2 record, along with breaking the single-season touchdown passing record in the history of the franchise with 33. With only seven interceptions all season, the frontrunner for the MVP of the league had his season shortened due to an ACL tear on Dec. 10, 2017. Despite not finishing the last season, Wentz was awarded a Pro-Bowl, an All-Pro selection and of course, a Super Bowl ring.
Philadelphia’s 2020 campaign, which resulted in a 4-11-1 record, led to the first time in Wentz’s NFL tenure where he was benched. Doug Pederson, who was the head coach of the football team, decided he’d seen enough from the former second overall pick. During the Green Bay Packers game in Week 13 of the NFL season, Wentz would take his last official snap with the Eagles. Pederson decided to name Jalen Hurts, a 2020 second-round pick made by the franchise, the starter for the last four games of the regular season.
Before Wentz took his last snap with Philadelphia, he finished with a 3-8-1 record during the 2020 season.
Wentz and Pederson, who presumably did not speak for two whole months during the season, were both shown the door within the span of January and February. Despite the four playoff wins, including a Super Bowl victory, Pederson was ultimately fired by the owner, Jeffery Lurie.
With all of the backlash and disparaging reports made of the 28-year-old by unnamed sources, Wentz still thanked his coaching staff, all of his teammates, and the front office.
Jafet Velez, junior psychology major, has been a fan of Carson Wentz since he was drafted in 2016. “He’s one of the most talented quarterbacks I’ve ever seen, and I think he made Philly a competitor every season,” Velez said. Velez believes the 28-year-old quarterback was ridiculed and was treated unfairly during his tenure in Philadelphia. “There was always drama from the media trying to paint the wrong picture of him,” Velez said.
Mike Lelli, junior business management major, always enjoyed watching Wentz play as well. “I don’t think we’d have a Super Bowl without him,” Lelli said. Before Wentz was drafted to the Philadelphia Eagles, the franchise was in a very dark place. “I thought it would take forever to fix all of the damage Chip Kelly did with trading some of the best players in our history,” Lelli said. Wentz, in the eyes of Lelli, proved him wrong by winning a Super Bowl in his second season.
Time will tell if the Philadelphia front office made the right decision.
