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Try not to tear up after watching this one. Carson Wentz greeted a young Eagles fan in a wheelchair after Friday’s practice and it went instantly viral. The 11-year-old child, Giovanni Hamilton, was wearing a No. 11 jersey and referred to the Eagles quarterback as “my hero.”
Wentz not only chatted with the child, but he gave him an emphatic fist-bump and then went in for a full-on hug. Then, Wentz asked for a pen and signed his memorabilia. The scene was incredibly emotional and painted a vivid picture of what Wentz stands for. For lack of a better term, he’s just a good dude.
Hamilton suffers from an extremely rare genetic muscle disorder called Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome, a bone and muscle development so uncommon that less than 100 cases have been reported worldwide. The Eagles posted the chance meeting on their social media channels with the caption: “It’s not every day you get to meet your hero.”
Wentz and the Eagles completed their second day of training camp at the NovaCare Complex with a 90-minute practice session. The team mainly worked on install and not many team drills. Still, Wentz hugging Giovanni was the undisputed play of the day. The quarterback posted an Instagram story of the moment with the headline: “Sooo humbling!! Kids like this inspire me every day! Thanks Giovanni!” Hamilton also attended the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade, per Penn Live.
Mack Hollins Makes One-Handed Catch
Aside from Giovanni, the other major highlight from the second day of camp was a one-handed grab from Mack Hollins. The enigmatic 25-year-old has been in a position battle for the fifth receiver spot, competing against Marken Michel and Shelton Gibson and Charles Johnson for what could be the final roster spot. According to reports, Hollins went up and made an impressive one-handed catch in 11-on-11 drills off an RPO from Carson Wentz.
Hollins also was the center of attention for his appearance. He strolled onto the field sporting a brand new haircut, a clean-looking buzzcut that had everyone talking. NJ Advance Media’s Mike Kaye shared a video of Hollins walking out.
Hollins in Fierce Position Battle at Camp
The wide-receiver position is stuck in a serious logjam. The Eagles have arguably the most talented collection of pass-catchers in franchise history, when taking into account the tight ends. The team has two 6-foot-3 matchup nightmares in Alshon Jeffery and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, plus the ultimate field stretcher in DeSean Jackson. Opposing secondaries are on their heels — and that’s before Nelson Agholor gets open in the slot. This offense is going to score a ton of points with Carson Wentz throwing to these weapons.
Hollins has been the definition of an enigma wrapped in a riddle during his first two years. The speedster has been known to run the 40-yard dash in a blazing 4.4 seconds, but there is so much uncertainty surrounding him. In May, Hollins was still rehabbing from complications stemming from a mysterious herniated disc surgery. He showed up to training camp this year riding a bike and claims to be 100 percent after escaping to Wentz’s offseason bonding trip in Houston. The 25-year-old is uber-talented, but how much does the coaching staff trust him?
If he keeps making one-handed grabs in practice, they might trust him a bunch. The fourth-round pick is no stranger to proving himself.
“My job is not to catch the ball. My job is to win games,” Hollins told NBC Sports in 2017. “And we’re winning, so it’s not hard for me at all.”
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