In our race to see what happens next with the Philadelphia Eagles, an important pause is suggested: Let's step back and be thankful that Carson Wentz is here and let's appreciate the season he had in 13 games.
He is on the road to recovery after having his left anterior cruciate ligament repaired and he will soon return to the NovaCare Complex for rehabilitation and to continue working with his fellow Eagles quarterbacks as the team continues its 2017 season. Wentz will continue to have a vital part in the day-to-day course of the season – off the field.
And when the time is right and Wentz returns to the quarterback position some time in 2018, then the Eagles are going to be a better football team. Wentz, as we know, is a difference-making quarterback. He's one of the best in the league and Wentz was having an MVP-caliber season.
But he is also a beloved teammate and the perfect face of this football franchise. And for all of us, there is pain that Wentz is injured and lost for the season.
"You feel for every teammate who is injured. When Jason Peters was on the field in front of everyone and then carted off, it was a terrible feeling. All of the guys we've lost, it's hard to see it because you know how much they've worked and how much they mean to the team," center Jason Kelce said. "Same with Carson. He's an awesome quarterback, a great leader, and a great teammate. It hurts all of us to see him down and not playing because we know how much he loves the game of football and what it means to him."
In the aftermath of Sunday's win/NFC East clinching/Wentz's injury there has not been a moment to truly think about what it means for Wentz, in his second NFL season, to go down. All of the talk has been about, "How will the Eagles move on?" without Wentz, and the refrain from some, "Why us?" But what about Wentz? Think about the challenges he's had to face in the last few days.
said. "Carson has played such a big part in things. We've followed his lead all season and he's going to be there with us the rest of the way. We're going to keep winning, no matter what the doubters say. We're going to stick together and work together and make this thing go. Carson may not be with us on the field, but he's with us every step of the way."
Thirty-three touchdown passes and only seven interceptions tell part of the story for Wentz in his second NFL season. He made a quantum leap into the world of superstardom and he handled every bit of it with class, humility, and appreciation. The best is yet to come for Wentz, and when it does we need to be happy for him. Wentz knows he is starting at the bottom of the ladder as he prepares for 2018. He has a long offseason ahead. He will need everyone's support, just as he has supported everyone these last two seasons.
That's it. The Giants are the focus for the football team, rightly so. There is little time for extended trips into the emotional Gulf Stream that is an NFL season. Good, bad, healthy or not, the players and the coaches are taught to move on to the next game.
Still, losing Carson ...
"It hurts for everybody and it is heartbreaking," linebacker Nigel Bradham said. "You don't want to see any player get hurt. We all put a lot on the line in this game and there is always going to be a risk. But Carson is our quarterback and we know he's always been there for us. We're there for him. That's not going to change. We love him. He's our brother. We're going to help him get through this."
