New Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz dreamed of this moment.
The Bismarck, North Dakota, native grew up a Vikings fan and once dreamed of playing for the team. That became a reality on Sunday when he led the Vikings to a 48-10 demolition of the Cincinnati Bengals at US Bank Stadium.
“Running out there, it’s been a while since getting a chance to do this, but then obviously being in the Purple and Gold means a little extra something to me personally,” Wentz told reporters afterward. “So yeah, I definitely had a lot of emotions, but I was able to channel them to the best of my ability, go out there and have a lot of fun with those guys.
“That’s what it was; it was a ton of fun,” Wentz added. “I had a blast out there.”
Wentz marched the team downfield on a 6-play, 64-yard opening drive, and he capped it with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Josh Oliver. The Vikings never let up after that as Wentz filled in for the injured J.J. McCarthy.
Wentz completed 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, and he only took three sacks for the game. His second touchdown pass of the game came on a 5-yard play to tight end T.J. Hockenson.
He made great decisions, he got through his progressions, and did a lot of things to help the Minnesota Vikings win today,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters afterward. I know it was kind of an out-of-body experience for him today, winning a game here at U.S. Bank Stadium as a lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan.
Carson Wentz Made His Mark Before the Vikings
For Wentz, big moments in the Upper Midwest has been a major part of his football career from Bismarck Century High School to North Dakota State where he played for five national championship teams. While the Philadelphia Eagles took him with a No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft, his first and only Super Bowl came at US Bank Stadium in 2018.
Unfortunately, he watched that one from the sideline when he dealt with an ACL tear. Wentz became an MVP candidate that season, but he never recaptured the same moxie after the injury, and he became a journeyman quarterback both as a starter and then a backup.
Carson Wentz’s Rollercoaster Career Leads to NFL Record
He set an NFL record on Sunday because of his moving around as he became the first quarterback to start a game for six different teams in six consecutive seasons. Wentz previously played for the Indianapolis Colts, Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Rams, and Kansas City Chiefs before his latest stop in Minnesota.
“I was the least surprised person in the whole building today that he was able to go out there and effectively run our offense,” O’Connell said. “There’s a reason why he came here.”
Minnesota signed him before the season as a backup to McCarthy. Wentz will make his second start in Week 4 against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, while McCarthy recovers from an ankle injury.
Carson Wentz Describes Dream Come True in Vikings Debut