What happens with Carson Wentz if Sam Bradford or Chase Daniel has a good season?
Is history on the side of Carson Wentz or the Philadelphia Eagles?
Carson Wentz will start the season as the third quarterback on the depth chart and will be listed as inactive on game day. Whether you’re happy about that or not, that’s a reality Philadelphia Eagles fans have to live in. Sure the Eagles gave up the farm to draft him, but there was nothing wrong with that strategy. There’s always a chance that you can divide a fan base when something like that happens, bit try and look at things from a historical prospective. Let’s face it. The Eagles don’t have a rich history, so maybe it’s time to look at some of the more successful franchises. Buckle up, because as aficionados of Fútbol Americano, we’re here to take you on a journey.
Take the San Francisco 49ers. They acquired a young Steve Young from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987. He sat behind Joe Montana before becoming the full time starter in 1992, where he lead them to three straight NFC Championship Games in his first three years as a starter. He’d lead them to a Super Bowl victory in the 1994 season.
Aaron Rodgers sat behind Brett Favre for four years before becoming the starter of the Green Bay Packers, and that seems to have worked out pretty well for the “Cheese Heads”.
Then there’s Donovan McNabb. He held down the backup quarterback position for the first nine games of the 1999 season and played sporadically before taking the starting job and never relinquishing it. Most of you probsbly remember it was current Eagles head coach Doug Pederson that McNabb replaced.
While there aren’t many scenarios that are exactly like what the Eagles are facing, there are a few that are very similar. In 1970, the Dallas Cowboys had two very good quarterbacks, Craig Morton and Roger Staubach. Morton was the starter, but Staubach got on the field in limited time and won the love of the fans. Morton would lead the Cowboys to Super Bowl V in a losing effort, and the next year, coach Tom Landry would begin to phase out Morton in favor of Staubach, who would lead them to a Super Bowl victory the following year.
More from Inside the Iggles
- How former Eagles star Cre’Von LeBlanc helped Renegades upstage Cowboys
- Eagles 2023 schedule: Every WR duo Darius Slay, James Bradberry will battle
- Imagining better names for Jason Kelce’s Good Guy Award
- Bold predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles offense in 2023
- Reactions as ESPN suggests NFL roster moves involving Eagles, Carson Wentz
The Miami Dolphins fought their way to Super Bowl XVII in 1982, led by the “Killer B’s” on defense and quarterback David Woodley but would lose to the Washington Redskins. That off-season, they drafted Dan Marino with the 27th pick, and he would go on to break nearly every passing record in the book. Truthfully, the decision was easier for the Dolphins. Woodley was the starter for a team that reached the Super Bowl, but veteran backup Don Strock would often come in relief to bail them out. The 1982 season was also unusual and quirky due to it being shortened by a player’s strike and because Mark Moseley, a kicker for the Redskins was voted MVP that season.
The San Diego Chargers drafting Eli Manning with the 1st pick in the 2004 draft and trading him for Philip Rivers immediately created a controversy with the Chargers because they already had Drew Brees on the roster. Brees was seen as a solid starter and took over with a breakout season when Rivers held out, throwing for 3159 yards and 27 touchdowns. He’d lead his team to the playoffs and earn a trip to the Pro Bowl. After getting hurt the next season, the Chargers elected not to go with Rivers.
So what does that have to do with the Eagles? Next season, this team belongs to Wentz. No matter how good the starter is, there will always a backup waiting in the wings. Look at Colin Kaepernick replacing Alex Smith after a trip to the NFC Championship as another example. Unless Bradford or Daniel lead this team to the Lombardi Trophy, Wentz will probably be the full time starter next season, but there aren’t any guarantees. Just ask Trent Dilfer.
Fans that are sick and tired of saying “maybe next year”. It’s been 50 years since this team’s last championship, but if history tells us anything, the future seems to be bright. The lights of Lincoln Financial Field will be bright, regardless of how this season goes, Wentz will eventually step into the leadership role.
With that said, heres one more piece of history to ponder:
The Eagles have won three championships in their history. They came in 1948, 1949, and 1960. The quarterbacks for those teams were Tommy Thompson and Norm Van Brocklin, respectively. They both wore number 11. You do know what Wentz’s jersey number is right?