Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz is getting his first start of the season in Week 18. Though the Chiefs have nothing to gain by winning or losing causing them to rest Patrick Mahomes and other starters, their opponent, the Denver Broncos need to win to get in the playoffs.
The Broncos are not the only players on the field who need to play well and benefit from a win. Wentz’s one-year deal worth $3.3 million is over at the end of the 2024-2025 season. Carson Wentz is playing for a contract. Whether he becomes a starter or backup, in Kansas City or elsewhere, remains to be seen.
#Chiefs WR Nikko Remigio on Carson Wentz: “Our chemistry has been developing since OTAs. . . Now that we’re out here running the offense and plays that we know on our timing? He’s slinging that thing. . . He definitely should be a starter somewhere. I’m excited for him.”
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) January 3, 2025
The 32-year-old has bounced around after five years in Philadelphia. One-year stints at Indianapolis, Washington, and Los Angeles (Rams) led him to his ninth NFL season in Kansas City. Some forget that Carson Wentz was integral to the Eagles’ 2018 Super Bowl win. His injury prevented him from earning NFL MVP honors which would likely have come his way, and it gave Nick Foles the spotlight to shine in the playoffs and the Super Bowl. Foles got the glory and the statue (with former Eagles head coach Doug Pederson) at Lincoln Financial Field to commemorate that winning season.
Carson Wentz forever deserves his credit for this sequence
Stays in the game on 3 torn knee ligaments, throws the Eagles’ single-season record 33rd TD pass, on 4th and goal to take the lead on the road, in what became the division-clinching win for the eventual champions 🦅 pic.twitter.com/Uf9QgprpZm
— Eagles Fan Central (@PhilaFanCentral) June 12, 2024
Wentz threw for over 3,200 yards with 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, leading the Eagles to an 11-2 record before going down in 2017. Could he replicate that with another starting quarterback opportunity? It is hard to say.
Could he be better than some of the other QB1s in the NFL? Maybe.
That’s why he is playing to win, not just because he wants the Chiefs to finish 16-1, but also because he can show his talents to NFL teams already shopping for their 2025-2026 quarterbacks.
