Those who have experience with sports coverage should know that it is not uncommon for unflattering leaks to occur after leaving a team. It should therefore come as no surprise to see that this is the case in the wake of the Carson Wentz deal.
Of course, there was criticism of anonymous sources about Wentz dating back to November 2018. And then more in January 2019. And then more in October 2019. And then more in September 2020. And then more in January 2021. And then more in February 2021.
The latest version of Wentz comes from Jason La Canfora (bold emphasis mine):
In Philly, it did get personal (because of course it did happen) between Wentz and head coach Doug Pederson. According to team and league sources, Wentz also fell out of favor of the locker room, and could not be linked with a range of players, acting more in his own interest than would be expected of a franchise full-back and leader. Loss and adversity brought out the worst in him, and he did not manage to lose his place to Jalen Hurts and, as reported here within days of losing his job, a plethora of NFL executives and executives have already predicted that Wentz would be a quick exit from Philadelphia after the season, even though Eagles officials have pleaded that nothing was to be seen here and Wentz remains an important part. of the organization.
A divorce threatens, the league knows it and it will always limit the field of suitors and the amount of compensation for a player with a growing injury history, a tendency to turnover and now years removed from the days he is called . An MVP candidate. Things really collapsed when sources say Wentz skipped retirement meetings with Pederson. He did everything possible – passively-aggressively and otherwise – to make it clear that he did not want to be a part of everything that was going on in Philadelphia, and even after Pederson was fired a week after the season, matters between the quarter and the organization continued to party.
Some have pointed to Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox defending Wentz after his benching to diminish the idea that he had lost the support of his teammates. But a locker room is made up of many players, and what they say in public and in private is not always in line.
Earlier this month, PhillyVoice’s Joe Santoliquito quoted a source as questioning Wentz’s support.
“Is there anyone here who is going to believe in this? [Wentz]? I can not speak for everyone, but I feel that there are many guys who are not now, ‘said one source in the organization, who wishes to remain anonymous because’ if he can get an NFL fired head coach, will they have no problem hitting someone’s ass.
All a respected veteran would say is that ‘here’s a problem’.
Players were “angry” that Wentz allegedly intended to ask for a trade and wanted out whether he would not be the starting quarterback, sources said. They interpreted it as if Wentz was quitting with them. Some thought it was Wentz to stop and run away from an open competition for the opening role with rookie Jalen Hurts.
Wentz never refuted the reports. In fact, he has not said a pee for more than eight weeks – and counts.
Everyone looked at each other and thought, does he want to be here? How are you supposed to follow such a leader? ‘says one source in the reports that indicate that Wentz wanted to run out, which already started on 20 December. “Do you really think anyone will believe him if he addresses this?”
This does not indicate that Wentz’s locker room was the only reason the Eagles exchanged him. But it could certainly be offset in the comparison. And as Santoliquito mentioned to me in an upcoming BGN Radio podcast episode, Wentz will have to prove himself to his new teammates in Indy.
On another note, what La Canfora had to say about Wentz’s relationship with Doug Pederson joins in on something Adam Schefter shared. 97.5 The fanatic Friday morning. Transcript via CBS Sports (vet klem mine):
‘There are a lot of things that went wrong. We have the team that sets up Jalen Hurts. We feel that Carson feels about it. We have the team trying to reassure him. We did not get Carson past that. We have Carson struggling. We did not talk to Carson and Doug for weeks on end during the season where the head coach and quarterback did not talk for eight, nine, ten weeks.”
The deterioration of communication was a degree of setback. Rob Maaddi says Pederson told him this is not true:
Yes, I did report that Doug told me after the season that his relationship with Carson was good, and that reports that he and Carson had problems were a ‘false story’. The fact that Doug was fired and Carson still traded is further proof that this was no problem with Wentz-Pederson. https://t.co/zLbxpz839d
– Rob Maaddi (@RobMaaddi) 19 February 2021
Some suggested Howie Roseman leaked to Schefter that Pederson and Wentz were not talking. Although I can not say that I know Schefter’s source, I know do know that I heard weeks ago that Wentz and Doug are not talking at the end of the season. And I can assure you that Roseman, whom I have often criticized, gives me no information.
All of this is moving forward in the vein that Wentz and Pederson are now both gone. But it certainly speaks to the dysfunction that occurred at the NovaCare complex. One can only hope that it does not continue.