Carson Wentz pens letter to Eagles fans after being traded to Colts
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Carson Wentz is speaking out publicly for the first time after being traded to Indianapolis Colts on Thursday.
Wentz, who was drafted No. 2 overall by the Eagles in 2016, penned a "thank you" letter on Friday night to the City of Philadelphia.
"To the City of Philadelphia-Thank you. You have been my home for the past five years. It has been everything a kid from Bismarck, North Dakota could have dreamed of," said Wentz.
Sources confirm to 6abc sportscaster Jeff Skversky that Wentz has been traded to Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick that could turn into a first-rounder. Among the conditions that the Eagles could receive a first-rounder in return for Wentz is if he plays 75% of his snaps next season.
SEE ALSO: Ron Jaworski weighs in on Carson Wentz trade: 'It was a bad marriage'
Wentz also thanked his teammates.
"More than anything, I will miss my teammates. Thank you. I appreciate every one of you and will never forget the relationships and memories made over the years. So many lifelong relationships have been formed in that locker room," said the quarterback.
"Man I'm happy for him. Him and Frank are really close, they have good chemistry," RT Lane Johnson told Action News.
Wentz will be reunited with now-Colts head coach Frank Reich, who was the Eagles offensive coordinator in 2017 when Wentz had his best season, and likely would've been NFL MVP if not for suffering a season-ending knee injury. If not for Wentz's play, the Eagles likely would not have won their first and only Super Bowl.
Multiple sources tell Skversky the Chicago Bears backed out of talks with the Eagles for Wentz. It appears that the Colts were the only team really in play for Wentz that led to Thursday's trade going down for Wentz.
The Wentz trade to the Colts won't become official until March 17, when the new NFL league year begins.
After trading Wentz, the Eagles are now on the hook for a $33.8M cap hit, the largest Hit in NFL history.
Read Wentz's full letter to fans below:
"What a journey.
More than anything, I will miss my teammates. Thank you. I appreciate every one of you and will never forget the relationships and
memories made over the years. So many lifelong relationships have been formed in that locker room. Thank you for the fellowship, the camaraderie in the locker room, and the daily battles out on the practice field!
To the City of Philadelphia-Thank you. You have been my home for the past five years. It has been everything a kid from Bismarck, North Dakota could have dreamed of. My family grew here, had a lot of fun, ate a lot of great food, got to be a part of an incredible church, and so many more memories off the field. On the field, we brought the Lombardi trophy home to Philly and hopefully brought a lot of joy to the city over the years. Thank you to the amazing Eagles fans across the World that have supported my family, our foundation, and our football team through all of the wins and losses. It was an honor to play in a city whose passion and love for their football team is unrivaled. Thank you for supporting my family and our AO1 foundation-we hope we have made a positive impact in the communities in Philly and look forward to continuing our efforts to impact the area!
Thank you to the Eagles organization for drafting me and making my NFL dream come true. Thank you Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman & the Eagles front office, Coach Pederson & all of my coaches, our training staff, our equipment staff and all of the support staff at the Nova Care Complex. It has been an amazing journey and I wish you all the best.
As one chapter closes, another one begins. And I'm excited to join the Indianapolis Colts and look forward to the work ahead! God's plan!
Hebrews 12:1-2 #AO1"
