It’s easy to forget that Carson Wentz looked like an MVP-caliber quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles just a few short years ago. That was reflected in what the organization thought of him at the time in some thoughts that didn’t age well.
After Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, old audio resurfaced of former Eagles coach Doug Pederson discussing Wentz with 49ers general manager John Lynch. Pederson talked about how “incredible” Wentz was, praising his work ethic and preparation. The coach then concluded with a remark that will make Eagles fans cringe in retrospect: “As long as we don’t screw him up, right?”
The Eagles beat Lynch’s 49ers 33-10 on Oct. 29, 2017. That win moved them to 7-1 in a season that ultimately saw them win the Super Bowl. Six weeks later, Wentz tore his ACL, ending his season. Still, he was effective in 2018 and 2019 before his enormous step back in 2020 led to the team’s decision to trade him.
There will be debate over who, exactly, screwed Wentz up, whether it was himself, the coaches, the organization, or bad luck. Whatever the case, little more than three years after delivering that remark, Pederson is out of a job, and Wentz is headed to Indianapolis.
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