Carson Wentz reflects on his years with Eagles at Super Bowl LIX originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
NEW ORLEANS — Carson Wentz found himself surrounded by some familiar faces during Super Bowl Opening Night at the Superdome on Monday.
Some of those faces he hadn’t seen since 2020 — his final season with the Eagles.
“It feels like another lifetime ago,” said Wentz, when asked how he looks back at his time in Philadelphia. “Actually a couple lifetimes ago at this point. A lot of great friendships, relationship, memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. I got married there, I had my first kid there. I grew up, became a man there, played NFL football there. All the stuff that coming out of North Dakota kind of changed my life.
“I owe a lot to my time there. I had a lot of fun. Obviously, I wish it would have ended differently. That’s just kind of the nature of this business. But a lot of great memories, for sure.”
Yeah, things obviously didn’t end well in Philly for Wentz, who was traded in the 2021 offseason after his relationship with the organization had soured to a point of no return. Since then, Wentz has been with the Colts, Commanders, Rams and this season is Patrick Mahomes’ backup in Kansas City.
So this week is just another unbelievable chapter in the Wentz book. Wentz’s Chiefs are facing his former team in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday in New Orleans.
“It is what it is,” Wentz said. “Obviously, I knew it was happening right when that game ended. Again, it feels like a couple lifetimes ago. There’s only so many familiar faces on that sideline now that I played with all those years ago. It is what it is.”
If the Eagles win, Wentz will again have a front-row seat to watch one of his backup quarterbacks hoist the Lombardi Trophy.
Back in the 2017 season, Wentz was well on his way to an MVP season before tearing his ACL in Los Angeles in December. You know what happened after that. Nick Foles led the Eagles into the playoffs, went on an improbable run and brought home the first Super Bowl championship in franchise history.
Wentz had some good moments after that but never again reached the peak he hit in 2017. And in 2020, when the Eagles used a second-round pick on Jalen Hurts, it was the beginning of the end for Wentz in Philly. Hurts began that 2020 season as Wentz’s backup but eventually started the final four games of his rookie season. The Eagles that year limped to a 4-11-1 finish and fired Doug Pederson after the year ended.
Hurts went on to become the new franchise quarterback in Philly and Wentz never played for the Eagles again.
Wentz on Monday night said it was tough during the 2020 season to really build a relationship with Hurts or any of the rookies because of the COVID guidelines in place that season.
But Wentz did see something from Hurts as a quarterback.
“Everybody knew coming in he was an athlete,” Wentz said. “He could run around, make plays. I was impressed right away with just how accurate he was. I thought he threw the ball well. He responded well. He was accurate from the start. He seemed sharp and had a good head on his shoulders. Kudos to him on the success he’s had.”
Wentz is 32 now and in his ninth NFL season. The former No. 2 overall pick out of North Dakota State has started just two games over his last two NFL seasons but is happy to still be in the league. He said it has been “great” playing for Andy Reid. And the chance to play for Big Red was a big reason he signed with the Chiefs this offseason.
“I respect the heck out of [Reid] and everybody in that building does,” Wentz said. “You can see it. He doesn’t have to say but one word and everybody is locked in on what he says. Awesome play-caller, awesome man, awesome leader.”
And after playing under Pederson in Philly, Wentz said he can definitely see Reid’s influence on Pederson. He said they structure the week of practice similarly but are still their own unique coaches.
The Eagles got to the Super Bowl in Wentz’s second season in the NFL and this is his first time back. While he’s still not going to start in the big game, his role for this Super Bowl is obviously different than it was in 2017.
Wentz was asked about those differences on Monday.
“I was trying to help out with Nick and everything I could (in Super Bowl LII),” Wentz said. “But, obviously, I was doing rehab. I was trying to help and be a part of the team and be around the guys and enjoy it but I was still pretty limited. Now, I’m one play away.”
Wouldn’t that be a wild next chapter in his story?
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