Watch Carson Wentz's comeback continue as Eagles face Falcons on Yahoo Sports app
Carson Wentz is used to coming back from injuries.
That’s part of the Wentz story. He has dealt with a serious injury four straight seasons, going back to college. Last season it was a stress fracture in his back. He suffered that not too long after his return from ACL surgery.
Bouncing back from injury is not a skill you want to own at age 26, but that’s been part of his journey. Wentz looked as good as new last week and looks to keep that going as the Philadelphia Eagles face the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, a game that can be live-streamed on the Yahoo Sports app.
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Of course, Eagles fans will probably brace themselves every time Wentz drops back to pass, worried about the next injury. That will be part of Wentz’s career tale too.
For Carson Wentz, health is the only question
The Eagles can win another Super Bowl this season. They might be even more talented than the first time they won a Super Bowl two seasons ago, when Nick Foles took over for Wentz after he tore his ACL. But Foles is gone to Jacksonville (and injured himself, with a broken collarbone) and now the Eagles’ season rests on Wentz staying healthy.
That’s a scary thought given his injury history. Wentz had a broken wrist in 2015, suffered a hairline rib fracture in the 2016 preseason as a rookie, tore his ACL in 2017 and had to be shut down due to the back injury last year. It could mean he’s been horribly unlucky, but “injury prone” will get thrown around when you’ve dealt with that many ailments in a short span.
Last week Wentz reminded everyone how good he is when he’s healthy. The Eagles fell behind Washington early but Wentz led a comeback win with 313 passing yards and three touchdowns. He looked like he did in 2017, when he was an MVP candidate before injuring his knee.
If that’s what we can expect from Wentz this season, and he stays healthy, the Eagles are Super Bowl contenders. That would fill a hole in Wentz’s resume that has to be bittersweet.
Wentz got a big extension this offseason
Wentz has a championship ring. He was a huge part of the 2017 Eagles and should be as proud of that season as any of his teammates. But, we all know he didn’t play in the playoffs. He tore his ACL in December and Foles became a legend with his playoff run. Wentz shared his mixed feelings before that Super Bowl, that he was happy for and supportive of Foles, but it was still tough to sit out. That’s understandable.
You’d have to assume that until Wentz returns to a Super Bowl, those feelings will always be there.
The Eagles have total faith in Wentz leading them back to another Super Bowl. They gave him a four-year, $128 million extension this offseason despite his injury history. They let Foles leave in free agency. It’s unquestionably his team.
Wentz has the talent to be one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, and the Eagles could be one of the league’s best teams. Now, Wentz needs his health to cooperate.
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Frank Schwab is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at shutdown.corner@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab
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