December 09, 2020
The Pat McAfee Show/YouTube
Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers talked about his respect for Carson Wentz during an appearance Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show." Wentz was benched for rookie Jalen Hurts in the Philadelphia Eagles' 30-16 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field last Sunday.
There aren't many similarities between the season Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has had and the potential MVP campaign being led by Packers veteran Aaron Rodgers.
But there is one: Philadelphia and Green Bay both selected a quarterback with a high pick in the 2020 NFL draft, making questionable moves that were widely interpreted as messages to both players.
While Rodgers has kept Utah State rookie Jordan Love planted on the bench, Eagles rookie Jalen Hurts saw the field in last Sunday's loss to the Packers, replacing Carson Wentz after weeks of regression and a sputtering offense.
After the game, Rodgers was seen chatting with both Hurts and Wentz, but the conversation appeared to be more personal with the latter, a franchise quarterback whose future is suddenly in serious question. Hurts has since been named the starter in Sunday's upcoming home game against the New Orleans Saints.
Aaron Rodgers spoke with Carson Wentz on the field after the game pic.twitter.com/mAuiPc5MDd
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 7, 2020
Rodgers made his weekly appearance Tuesday on "The Pat McAfee Show," where he was asked about his interaction with Wentz. Rodgers kept the details of the conversation private, but said it was a talk he had been looking forward to having.
“I'm glad I got the opportunity to say some things to him because I've always respected his game and been a fan of his game and I think he has a really unique skill set,” Rodgers said. “Obviously, this hasn't been a really great year there in Philly. I think there's a lot of factors around him that contribute to that.”
Rodgers didn't elaborate on those circumstances, but between Wentz's injury history and mounting criticism of the team's front office strategy since Super Bowl LII, it's not difficult to read between the lines.
“I felt like it was a good, quick conversation and definitely wish him the best the rest of the year, because I've been a fan of his since he got in the league and he's had some tough circumstances over his few years in the league," Rodgers said. "I hope things work out for him whether it's there or somewhere else."
Based on Wentz's massive $128 million contract extension prior to last season — much of which the Eagles can't dodge for the next two years — many have assumed that moving on from him is an impossibility. Others believe a trade is plenty feasible.
In either case, those questions will remain premature until Hurts produces enough tape to demonstrate he's a clear improvement over Wentz, short-term and long-term.
There's also growing speculation about the job security of head coach Doug Pederson and general manager Howie Roseman, both of whom deserve some blame for the Eagles' disastrous fall to 3-8-1.
As murky as things seem in Philadelphia right now, the good news is that Sunday's game offers an opportunity to watch this team in a different light and with another lens. It may or may not change Wentz's fate with the Eagles, but it's a break from more of the same.
