Eagles’ QB Carson Wentz’s popularity continues to soar

SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles takes a knee on the sidelines after throwing an interception in the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field on December 3, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-10. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - DECEMBER 03: Quarterback Carson Wentz #11 of the Philadelphia Eagles takes a knee on the sidelines after throwing an interception in the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field on December 3, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Seahawks beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-10. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /
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Pretty soon, we’ll be talking about consecutive years in which Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz led the NFL in jersey sales.

Who would have thought the Seattle SeahawksRussell Wilson, a third-round draft choice, who built his career in the Pacific Northwest, would consistently be among the leaders in NFL jersey sales? It kind of shows us something about the current state of the average football fan. Substance outweighs flash in many cases. If you dig a little deeper, it might also make you think about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz.

The second-overall selection of the 2016 NFL Draft plays in what’s been called, in several football circles as the NFL’s ‘Money Division’. The NFC East is home to four of the most popular sports franchises in the United States. In addition to Philly, there’s the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the New York Giants.

A star continues to burn bright.

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The NFL often tries to get these four franchises on national television, especially when they play one another. Wentz has seen his star rise. With his positive perception and the fact that he plays for the highly-popular Eagles, who are also Super Bowl Champions, he might even create a few more Eagles fans where there’s only a casual interest.

It’s not out of the realm of possibility, especially when Wilson is part of the reason ’12th Man’ flags are flying all over the country. That’s no disrespect to the city of Seattle, but we’re all aware of the fact that ‘The Emerald City’ isn’t the media circus that Philly can sometimes be.

NFL.com shows love.

In a recent article by Adam Rank, some of the easiest players to root for in the current NFL were mentioned. As you’d imagine, Wentz’s name came up. Here’s what said about the Eagles signal caller:

"I want to (give credit to) the whole team, because the Eagles are a likeable bunch whom nobody (outside of the NFC East) could be mad at, but if I had to pick a guy, I’d go with Carson. Mostly because he’s not super-sensitive about his backup winning a Super Bowl. Which probably isn’t something you’d say of a lot of marquee QBs."

Playing for a highly popular sports franchise, playing one of sports’ most recognizable positions and possessing positive values are all part of the mixture that make Wentz who he is. He’s easy to like because his ‘image’ is real, not crafted.

Next: Where did the Eagles improve during the 2018 offseason?

Rank is right. Wentz is easy to root for, and as time goes on, he could end up as one of the more popular NFL athletes. He could also, maybe, end up as one of the most beloved quarterbacks of all time. Just ask Russell Wilson.