The Philadelphia Eagles’ backup quarterback battle has been a big talking point in the City of Brotherly Love, but they aren’t the only team that had uncertainty behind their starter throughout the summer.
The Minnesota Vikings went into training camp with three quarterbacks battling for the starting spot, and the ex-Eagles star Carson Wentz was a part of the action.
The Vikings didn’t waste too much time revealing that Kyler Murray was going to be the Week 1 starter. They didn’t need to wait until the end of the preseason to reveal that. However, the shocking note was that JJ McCarthy wasn’t going to be the backup to Murray by default. Carson Wentz was still in the mix to win that job.
The Former Eagles Star Gets It Done
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Minnesota’s head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that Wentz is the official Week 1 backup to Kyler Murray. McCarthy will be third on the depth chart.
That development will not only be disappointing to Minnesota, but it will put even more attention on the position, as the Vikings could soon be faced with a tough decision to make on McCarthy’s future. The 23-year-old has gone from being a top 10 pick to a third-stringer by year three.
Carson Wentz’s NFL Career
The Eagles selected Wentz in the first round with the second-overall pick in 2016. They made Wentz the starter right away and watched him turn in a promising campaign.
The 2017 season was special for Wentz. He had an MVP-caliber run in the first 13 games, posting an 11-2 record. Unfortunately, a torn ACL ended his season early. The Eagles still went on to win the Super Bowl that year. Since then, Wentz struggled to live up to that season.
Wentz played just three more years for the Eagles before getting traded to the Indianapolis Colts in 2021. After one season with the Colts, Wentz was sent to the Washington Commanders. After struggling in Washington, Wentz fired up his run of playing backup quarterback, starting with the Los Angeles Rams. He played in Kansas City before going to Minnesota in 2025.
Last year, Wentz appeared in five games for the Vikings. He threw for 1,216 yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions. The Vikings went 2-3 during that time.