Whining Over Wentz Welcomed This Weekend: Philly Sports Chatter

He was once the most hated former athlete in Philadelphia. Now, he's probably second behind Ben Simmons.

Our old frenemy Carson Wentz will take on the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles Sunday in an NFC East showdown that will have more impact than just the standings.

Wentz will do everything he can to beat the Birds and show General Manager Howie Roseman and Owner Jeffrey Lurie that they should have never drafted quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Of course, with the way Hurts played Monday night in handily defeating the Minnesota Vikings, Roseman looks like a genius for making the move.

Wentz harbors ill will toward the team. For many reasons.

The kid came out like gangbusters in his rookie year, showing great arm strength and escapism that would have made Houdini proud. He flashed a lot of promise and potential and pizzazz.

With a year under his belt, Wentz basically took the Birds to the top, showing signs of maturity and leadership when a lot of NFL quarterbacks go through a sophomore slump.

But not Wentz. He carried the Eagles into the upper echelon. Everyone was touting him as the league MVP, putting Wentz in the same sentences as Tom Brady.

But then it all came crashing down when Wentz tore his ACL trying to dive into the end zone late in a game against the Los Angeles Rams.

Season Over. His Eagles career pretty much ended that game too.

Wentz watched hero backup Nick Foles lead the Eagles to the Super Bowl. He then watched Foles take the team to the playoffs when Wentz got injured the following year.

Wentz finally mustered the strength to lead the Eagles into the playoffs himself until he was battered and bruised by the Seattle Seahawks.

So Roseman drafted Hurts. And Wentz sulked. And Wentz ignored Coach Doug Pederson. Then Wentz got benched. And then he got traded.

Indianapolis got sick of his act and his knack for making stupid passes that blew his team's playoff chances. So the Colts shipped him to Washington, setting up Sunday's matchup.

I never burned my Carson Wentz jersey or T-shirt. They hang in my closet, buried between the likes of jerseys of Brian Dawkins, Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb and Foles.

I definitely won't wear them Sunday.

Wentz has performed to his usual standards so far in Washington, though he has thrown seven touchdowns. But also toss in a few of those stupid Wentz tricks and it's surprising Washington is even in the win column.

The Birds now get to see Wentz twice a year.

Just imagine if this game was in Philly. But that won't happen until a Monday Night Football game on Nov. 14.

And you thought Jalen Reagor got booed Monday night when he returned punts. What Wentz will experience will probably be 100 times that.

This was the franchise quarterback. This was the guy who would play for over a decade in green.

This is also a guy who put the Eagles in a position to win the Super Bowl though Foles basically worked his magic to pull the rabbit away from Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Should we be grateful? Like Simmons, Wentz couldn't handle Philadelphia.

So we will watch the game in Washington on Sunday and do what Eagles fans do: We will boo.