Thrown Into the Fire
September 3, 2016, will be a day that Carson Wentz remembers for the rest of his life. One week before the season opener, the Eagles traded starting quarterback Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings for a first-round pick.
Executive VP Howie Roseman caught the Vikings in a desperate situation after their starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, went down with a severe knee injury. The Vikings felt they had a championship caliber team entering the season and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur had previous experience with Bradford.
Getting Ready for Cleveland
The trade cleared the way for Wentz to be the starter despite initial expectations to be the No. 3 quarterback and not even suit up on game day. Wentz was suddenly the starter in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns despite limited reps in the preseason.
The rib injury that Wentz sustained in the preseason opener against the Buccaneers still lingered, but it was not going to stop him from being ready. Head coach Doug Pederson said Wentz was healthy and did everything with the first-team offense during practice.
Wentz practiced with extra protection on his ribs to give him a feel for what he’d have on for game day. Pederson looked forward to the season opener with anticipation as Wentz was set to make his first career start.
Wentz passes for his first career touchdown during the first half against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, September 11, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
“I’m excited. I’m thrilled that this is an opportunity for him,” Pederson said during a press conference before the game. “It’s an opportunity for our organization, our team. We’re going full steam ahead. So I feel fully confident that we’ll go get the job done.”
Bradford was a favorite in the locker room. He earned respect from the other veteran players because of the way he handled the Wentz situation after initially walking away.
The veteran quarterback was razor-sharp in practice and impressed in the preseason. The team had division championship aspirations with Bradford under center. Would those expectations remain in place with Bradford gone?
Pederson was able to get a gauge for how the locker room felt after they saw Bradford get traded.
“Guys are excited. Guys are excited about Carson,” Pederson said. “Obviously, when you lose your quarterback in Sam, it can be mixed emotions. But the guys were 100 percent behind it and thrilled that Carson is going to be the guy. They’ve seen him day in and day out like we’ve seen him. They know he can be a special player in this league. They’ve embraced it and are supporting him 100 percent.”
The mindset that comes with being the quarterback is unique. It’s hard to prepare for the pressure that is placed on the quarterback, especially in such a quick turnaround.
Philadelphia Eagle Ryan Mathews (24) and Wentz celebrate after Matthews’ touchdown during the second half against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, September 11, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Pederson was confident in Wentz’s ability to handle the new responsibility. That made the decision to start him an easy one.
“He’s such a special guy that this doesn’t bother him. The stage is not that big. He can handle this. That’s why making this decision is very comforting to me and really easy to make,” said Pederson. “Just knowing him and knowing how he prepares, and knowing what he’s done in the past. This guy is a proven winner. He’s proved it all the way up through college, and we fully expect him to do the same thing at this level. He’s such a smart guy. I keep saying this, but I see it day in and day out. Carson is a sharp learner. He makes a mistake once, he can move on from it.”
Pederson and the coaching staff went back to the Bucs game to see some of the things that worked well for Wentz. They also incorporated some of the things Wentz did at North Dakota State to make him more comfortable with the sudden transition from backup to starter.
Wentz had shown that he is comfortable on the move. The Eagles implemented several bootleg plays that let him roll out and make an easy read while scanning a condensed portion of the field.
A lot of the throws that he was asked to make were quick reads. The offense was designed to make the decision-making more comfortable for him.
Wentz cracks a smile during a break against the Cleveland Browns. (Winslow Townson/AP Images for Panini)
Finding a Safety Blanket
Wentz delivered his first touchdown pass as a pro to wide receiver Jordan Matthews. He had perfect placement on the throw that dropped just over the receiver’s shoulder in the end zone for the score.
Matthews would become one of Wentz’s favorite targets during his rookie season. Their first game set the tone. Wentz connected with Matthews seven times for 114 yards and a touchdown.
Having Matthews was a safety blanket for Wentz because of the familiarity they had after spending time together during training camp. Like Wentz, Matthews suffered an injury that kept him out of the lineup for some time.
They spent time together in the training room and on the field as Matthews ran routes to test his injured ankle. Wentz threw him passes as he worked his way back from the rib injury. The chemistry was formed there.
Wentz scrambles against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, January 1, 2017, in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 27–13. (Al Tielemans via AP Images)
Coming Out with a Bang
Philadelphia jumped out to a 3–0 record in Wentz’s first three games, which included a 300-yard passing performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Wentz was named the Pepsi Rookie of the Week after each of the first two games in 2016.
His standout performance against the Steelers earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
As a rookie, Wentz started all 16 games for the Eagles as they finished the season with a 7–9 record. He completed a league-rookie-record 379 passes as a rookie, breaking the record of 354, held by none other than Sam Bradford, when he was with the St. Louis Rams in 2010.
The 379 completions is also a single-season franchise record, breaking another record held by Bradford, when he completed 346 passes in 2015. Wentz also set a single-season franchise record with 607 pass attempts, which was the second-highest number of attempts by a rookie in league history. Andrew Luck holds the record with 627 completions as a rookie with the Indianapolis Colts, in 2012.
After a rough stretch in which the Eagles lost five consecutive games, the season ended on an upswing with two wins in a row for Philadelphia. Wentz was thrown into the fire but weathered the storm and came out on top.
Wentz scrambles away from New York Giant Romeo Okwara (78) during the second half, Thursday, December 22, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
Faith and Football
Carson Wentz is heavily invested in his relationship with God. Growing up, Wentz’s life was consumed by sports, but he went to a Lutheran church and was confirmed. Wentz said he thought he was right with God because he was a good kid and went to church.
His faith has expanded to a foundation that he calls AO1, short for Audience of One. The foundation was launched in 2017. Its mission is to “demonstrate the love of God by providing opportunities and support for the less fortunate and those in need.”
On his foundation’s website, Wentz opened up about how his faith grew while he was at North Dakota State University. College is a time when people can form some of their less memorable relationships. For Wentz, it was a time when he developed the best.
“My head was spinning. I had just learned new language in install meetings and Dante (senior quarterback Dante Perez) says, ‘Hey, ever read the Bible?’ I’m like, ‘We’re at football practice, not right now.’ Then we started talking, ended up meeting, and he kind of mentored me in my faith for about a year. Dante was huge, I owe him a lot.”
Wentz met with Perez once a week throughout the year and read the New Testament. He quickly
developed a thirst to learn more about God and became an active member of the team Bible study, as well as regularly attending church. Through football, Wentz was exposed to God and cultivated a great relationship that still leads his life today. He even had AO1 tattooed on the bottom of his right wrist.
“It was kind of a motto I picked up early in my career, and I finally put it on my body just to live with Jesus as my audience. Whether it is playing football, going to school, or whatever I’m doing, I’m doing it for the Lord as my audience,” said Wentz on his foundation’s website.
Wentz’s cleat during practice at the team’s NFL football training facility in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Sharing the Word
Wentz delivered a sermon during the summer of 2017 at First Assembly Church in Fargo, North Dakota. He opened up about his faith in the sermon and discussed a recent mission that opened his eyes.
“I want to take all the attention off of myself, and give it to God,” Wentz said to open his sermon before pointing to John 5:19: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
Wentz explained how walking step by step with The Father is what allowed him to know to do the good work. He went on to share his experience on a mission in Haiti with former Eagles teammate Jordan Matthews.
Wentz, Matthews, and a group of church members went to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. His AO1 Foundation provided funds to Mission of Hope to help build a multipurpose sports complex and education center on campus.
“I believe in Mission of Hope’s initiative completely,” Wentz said in a statement. “I feel that this sports complex will be an incredible way for the youth of Haiti to have more opportunities to enjoy sporting competition, to further their education, to have access to healthy meals, and to enjoy being around a Christian community to help further their faith.”
While there, they preached to the people in the village. Wentz helped kids paint their own houses. He said the kids tried to take the paint brush out of his hands to help with the painting. Wentz even lifted some of the kids up to allow them to paint higher spots on the walls. Considering he is 6-foot-5, those kids probably got to see things from a brand-new perspective!
The trip forced Wentz to take a new approach to things.
“I just went to a whole new country, needed an interpreter,” Wentz said. “I walked up to these people in these villages, talked to them and gave them the gospel, and I can barely turn to my neighbor back home?”
He came back with a new mission, which was to take advantage of every opportunity to share the gospel. Wentz felt challenged to a daily mission.
In Wentz’s case, he never tries to force his faith on anyone. His mission is to just plant the seed.
It was only fitting that Wentz concluded his sermon in North Dakota State by saying, “If you were standing before God tonight, and He asks you what you’ve done to enter into His kingdom, what would you say?”
Then he invited anyone who wanted to find a closer relationship with Jesus to raise their hand. “Don’t be shy, Jesus wants to call you home,” Wentz said before he closed with a prayer.
Wentz bows in prayer with Eagles and Vikings after their game, Sunday, October 23, 2016, in Philadelphia. The Eagles won 21–10. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Landing in the Right Place
Before the 2016 NFL Draft, Wentz prayed and asked that he would land in a place where he can grow his faith. Ending up with the Eagles was a blessing.
The team holds weekly Bible study at the facility as well as couples night at various player’s houses. Many of the players have a close relationship with the team’s pastor, Theodore Winsley.
Pastor Ted has been serving the players for 16 years. It all started with Troy Vincent for Pastor Ted. Vincent wanted the word to be taught and gave the ministry access to the player’s lives.
There is a rich tradition of faith among the Eagles that goes back to defensive end Reggie White, who passed it on to Vincent, then to safety Brian Dawkins, then wide receiver Jason Avant and quarterback Nick Foles, and ultimately to Wentz.
Pastor Ted says this group is like a committee which consists of Carson, safety Chris Maragos, tight end Zach Ertz, tight end Trey Burton, and linebacker Jordan Hicks, among others.
Having the quarterback is the key to creating a strong culture of faith for the team, according to Pastor Ted.
“Once you get the quarterback, you have the team. When Nick Foles came as the starting quarterback and a strong believer, the culture was solidified,” said Pastor Ted.
Foles is the reason the Eagles have Bible study at the facility on Thursday nights. He is also the reason why the Bible study starts even before the regular season.
Now with Wentz in place, the ministry can continue to be strong. Players such as linebacker Mychal Kendricks and wide receiver Marcus Johnson have even gotten baptized.
Pastor Ted said he saw something in Wentz from the first time he sat next to him at a team rookie symposium at the Novacare complex.
Wentz warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, November 5, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)
“From the very first moment he came to the team, he made it evident that he was a believer. Carson came to the Bible study, and his quiet boldness, his presence, his genuineness…He has a strong sense of who he is,” Pastor Ted said. “He is not loud, and he is not boisterous. When he speaks, you hear him. It’s deliberate, and he doesn’t need a lot of words. It showed immediately in Bible study. He’s respectful, but he is still a leader. He takes charge only when he believes he is supposed to.”
Pastor Ted helps players understand that football is not their purpose—it’s their platform. Faith has a way of grounding players.
“Football is a very short part of their lives,” Pastor Ted explained. “If they don’t understand that, they get caught up. In Philadelphia, football is looked at as a god. Without this grounding, they get crushed by it instead of standing on the platform of it.”
The way Wentz has handled all of the early success with ease can be attributed to his faith. It allows Wentz to put things in proper perspective.
“At the end of the day, he loves the game but has a really good understanding that it is just a game,” said Pastor Ted.
It is easy to see why the Eagles locker room is so well rooted in its faith.
Carson Wentz, “The Hunter”
Like most people, Carson Wentz has ways to unwind and get his mind off of things. Wentz was exposed to hunting when he was a kid. His fondness for it grew once he got to college, especially when he got a chance to get out with some of his friends.
“I really fell in love with it when I was in college. It was a kind of new experience with a couple of buddies,” Wentz said. “I got into bow hunting later in college and was like, this is so peaceful. You sit in the woods. The majority of the hunting that I do is super relaxing. In the off-season, I do stuff in the mountains.”
Wentz saves the more adventurous hunting trips for when he isn’t playing football, during the off-season. During the season Wentz enjoys simply sitting in a tree relaxing for a couple of hours. He wears a harness just in case he gets too relaxed and falls asleep.
Wentz loves hunting so much he bought guns for the offensive linemen as Christmas presents. He took them hunting in May of 2017.
Wentz kneels in prayer with teammates following practice at training camp, Tuesday, July 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
The downtime in between targets is relaxing for Wentz, but when what he’s looking for comes his way, he flips the switch.
“For me, it’s just the most relaxing thing,” Wentz said. “But when there are animals—whether it’s deer hunting or bird hunting—it gives you that adrenaline rush. It’s that adrenaline r
ush that gets you fired up.”
Of all places to be, Wentz was laying in the middle of a cornfield when he found out about the Sam Bradford trade that would change his rookie season. Wentz said he was able to get one goose before the news but plans changed once he was told.
His weapon of choice during the season is a crossbow. Wentz said he just sits there most of the time not shooting at anything. There may be deer here and there, but the big catch is when a buck wanders through.
“You wait for that one big buck and it’s just like, when it happens, that adrenaline rush is unbelievable,” Wentz explained as his tone changed. “When it doesn’t happen, you are just thankful. You appreciate nature. It’s a chance to just decompress. It gets my mind right and it’s just like the most relaxing, peaceful thing that anyone can do.”
Some people like to ride bikes or go hiking to escape the daily grind. Wentz likes to hunt. It also allows him to spend time with his brother.
“My brother and I hunt together all the time,” Wentz said. “One of us is usually filming. We hunt together and it’s a way for us to bond as well.”
They’ve chronicled their hunting adventures back home in North Dakota and as far away as New Zealand.
A Leader of Men
Carson Wentz became the leader of the Eagles in the locker room and on the field soon after he took over as the starting quarterback. His focus on hard work and command of the huddle resonated with the team as soon as he got to the NovaCare Complex.
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