From rookie savior to castoff: Looking back at Carson Wentz's run in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Carson Wentz era in Philadelphia is officially over.
The Eagles dealt the former No. 2 overall selection to the Colts for a 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick that could turn into a first.
The trade ends a promising union which quickly turned into a messy divorce.
The Eagles were at a critical quarterback crossroad entering the 2016 draft, but a bold set of trades paid off as they positioned themselves to land a Franchise QB.
Wentz flashed as a rookie coming up just short of the playoffs, but his play inspired hopes of future Super Bowl runs with fans quickly anointing him a savior.
The next season, he blessed the Eagles with an MVP-caliber run that turned even the most pessimistic fans into believers.
Then December 10th happened.
Wentz tore his ACL against the Rams, ending his season and most thoughts of a title.
But Nick Foles did the unthinkable and carried the wounded Eagles to the promise land.
Wentz returned in 2018 but missed the first three games recovering from injury.
While some of his signature playmaking was still there, Philadelphia was an uninspiring 5-6 in his starts.
Injury once again befell him late in the season, paving the way for more Foles' magic.
Saint Nick fell short against the Saints, but his heroics got the sports talk machine debating whether No. 9 was a better option than No. 11.
The debate raged on with fans and across the media, but the Eagles put an end to that talk by handing Wentz a massive 128-million-dollar extension.
Foles left for Jacksonville and the QB drama was over.
Or so we thought.
2019 was a roller-coaster campaign for Wentz and the Eagles, who entered the season as legit title contenders.
The team suffered several ugly losses, most notably a 37-31 disaster in Miami. But Wentz guided a battered offense to four straight wins to steal the NFC East.
Wentz's first playoff game didn't last long, though, as a head injury forced him out in the first quarter. With Foles gone, there was no backup magic this time around.
Wentz's extensive injury history contributed to the drafting of Jalen Hurts, a move that might've signaled the beginning of the end for Wentz in Philadelphia.
Coach Doug Pederson stood behind Wentz in 2020 even as the QB piled up a maddening number of off-target throws and turnovers.
But fans had had enough, and the calls for Hurts became deafening.
They got their wish in Week 13.
Wentz never saw the field again, and in another sign an exit was forthcoming, he remained glued to the Eagles bench long after the Week 17 loss.
The relationship between Wentz and Doug Pederson became contentious, then untenable - and ultimately, both men were shown the door. Most fans were also done with him and welcomed trade talk.
The Eagles' gamble did yield a title, but Wentz wasn't around for it, and he finishes with an underwhelming 35-32-1 record, and ZERO playoff wins.
He'll best be remembered for his ability to extend plays - for better or worse - and the hope he once brought as a rookie.
But he leaves town a polarizing figure whose departure puts the Birds right back at a QB crossroad.
