Nearly a decade ago, Carson Wentz was in J.J. McCarthy’s shoes, the presumptive franchise quarterback of an NFL team in the early stages of his career.
Though the comparison isn’t exactly congruent, considering Wentz played every game as a rookie, and McCarthy didn’t play at all, the situations are similar: The Philadelphia Eagles had lofty expectations at the time, much like the Vikings have for McCarthy.
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The similarities reached another level this week when Wentz learned he would more than likely be starting in place of an injured McCarthy when the Vikings host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. You might remember that an injured Wentz was once replaced by a veteran journeyman named Nick Foles.
After leading the Eagles to an 11-2 record and looking like the Most Valuable Player favorite, Wentz suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament that thrust Foles into the spotlight. That set off a chain of events that concluded with Foles leading the Eagles to a win over the Vikings in the NFC championship game, then past the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium.
That was the beginning of the end for Wentz.
After struggling to replicate his success with the Eagles over the next few seasons, Wentz was supplanted by Jalen Hurts and traded to the Indianapolis Colts. His stint with the Colts had its ups and downs, and he was traded to the Washington Commanders.
That was the last time Wentz was a starter. He most recently served as the backup for the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs before signing with the Vikings last month to fill the same role.
What can the Vikings expect when Wentz steps under center? Here’s a look at his most recent starts:
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Jan. 1, 2023
After starting for the Commanders early in the 2022 season, Wentz fractured a finger on his right hand, which landed him on injured reserve. That opened the door for Taylor Heinicke, and he performed well enough to hold down the job even after Wentz was activated from injured reserve.
Still, Wentz ended up starting down the stretch, sliding under center when the Commanders needed a win over the Cleveland Browns. He struggled mightily in a 24-10 loss, completing 16 of 28 passes for 143 yards, no touchdowns and a trio of interceptions.
The loss eliminated the Commanders from postseason play, and they opted to start a rookie named Sam Howell in the finale.
Jan. 7, 2024
After signing with the Rams midway through the 2023 season, Wentz spent most of his tenure as the backup to Matthew Stafford. The only time Wentz saw action came when the Rams had already locked up a playoff spot.
That provided Wentz an opportunity to start against the San Francisco 49ers in the finale. He looked pretty good in a 21-20 win, completing 17 of 24 passes for 163 yards, a pair of touchdowns and an interception.
The starter for the 49ers in that game? Sam Darnold.
Jan. 5, 2025
After serving as a backup with the Chiefs throughout the 2024 season, Wentz got the nod in the finale with all of the starters getting rest ahead of the playoffs.
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It couldn’t have gone much worse for Wentz against the Denver Broncos, a 38-0 loss. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 98 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. Though it wasn’t a banner performance, it’s worth noting that he didn’t have much help around him.
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