Former Eagles QB Carson Wentz is looking forward to his ‘reunion tour’

The NFL can be so petty sometimes, can’t they? You don’t think it’s a coincidence that, in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, Russell Wilson returns to Lumen Field with the Denver Broncos to face his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, do you? Sure, we’ve known for a long time who the Philadelphia Eagles and every other franchise would be playing. We just didn’t know the dates and start times. That’s all been taken care of now, however, thanks to the official release of pro football’s schedule, so yes, two things can be correct.

Sure, we knew Denver and the three other teams that comprise the AFC West would be playing the four teams that make up the NFC West during the 2022-2023 NFL season. That’s a fact, but it’s also fair to state the NFL loves a good soap opera.

Former Eagles gunslinger Carson Wentz is back in the NFC East (and he seems happy about it).

What you just read was a long-winded way to make the next two points. Let’s not act like Russ winding up on Monday Night Football with a team that finished last year’s regular-season campaign with a 7-10 record is an accident. It would also be ridiculous to think league offices aren’t thrilled in knowing that Carson Wentz, now with the Washington Commanders, is back in the NFC East.

Philly’s former QB1 spent the 2021-2022 NFL season in Indianapolis with the Colts. That didn’t go so well. They gave up on him after a single season (in which they failed to make the playoffs after getting there with Philip Rivers one year prior).

Washington and the Philadelphia Eagles have been NFC East rivals since long before what many of you knew what football was. Go ask your fathers and grandfathers about Buddy Ryan and the ‘Body Bag Game’ when you have a moment.

So, yes. We knew the Birds would play Carson Wentz twice in the coming season as soon as we heard that he was joining the Commanders. We’ve also long known that the NFC East’s four teams play the members of the AFC South during the coming campaign.

Carson won’t just be playing the Eagles twice. His ‘reunion tour’, as NFL.com’s Grant Gordon puts it, features games versus the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars which means he will face his former team and teammates (Philly). He’ll square off versus his former offensive coordinator/head coach AND former teammates (Frank Reich and Indy), and before any of that happens, he and his new teammates will battle the Jacksonville Jaguars and his former head coach (Doug Pederson) in Week 1.

Wentz seems to be taking it all in stride. On the Jacksonville front, he said the following on the NFL Network’s Schedule Release show:

"Obviously, it will be a big game, lot of emotions going on running out here at FedEx Field. First one as a Commander. (A) lot of familiar faces (will be) on the other side of the ball. Obviously, the last game of last year was against the Jaguars as well and didn’t go quite as planned, so definitely trying to regroup from that one and hopefully set the stage for this season the right way"

Don’t expect any warm welcomes when he arrives at Lincoln Financial Field in Week 10. Here’s what 11 (yes, he’s wearing the number 11 jersey again) had to say on that note.

"I know that’ll be a big game (with) a lot of emotions. I’m sure fans will eat that one up and it’ll be fun (and) make for a good storyline, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be just another ballgame. It’s going to be a huge divisional game for us when that one comes, so I’m excited for it. But, at the same time, I’m trying not to get too excited for that one, because, again, it’s just football. Can’t press. Can’t do too much."

We began this by talking about the NFL and how they love drama. Who are we kidding? We do too! This stuff is better than reality television.

There are no scripts. There’s no forced drama. It’s just a game that we love, and it’s full of accompanying storylines. Who needs Netflix? The NFL gives us some of the greatest stories to follow each and every week.