Any Philadelphia Eagles fan can attest to being excited any time they meet someone they admired from afar and end up meeting for the first time.
New Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen had that moment when a video recently surfaced online showing him meeting former Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz after a game, and he praised him, saying he admired watching him play when he was younger. Woolen was asked about that moment by Eagles reporters during his introductory press conference, and he shared why Wentz meant so much to him.
"I was a youngin' whenever he was here killin' it," Woolen said via SportsRadio 94 WIP. "I just got love for great players, and I love when people go out and win games and do the right thing, and he was a player that did that."
Riq Woolen opened up about meeting Carson Wentz
Wentz was electric in his early years with the Eagles after being a top-five pick back in the 2016 NFL Draft. His 2017 campaign was an MVP-caliber year until he tore his ACL late in the season against the Los Angeles Rams.
From that moment on, Wentz was just never the same and ended up being a backup over the last few years in the NFL. Real Eagles fans remember how good he was, though, in the early days in Philly.
Everyone would love to see Woolen make that kind of impact in Year 1 with the Birds after the promise and potential he showed with the Seattle Seahawks over the last few years. While there may be some concerns about him, his 6-foot-4 height gives the Eagles the size they have been dying to have in a cornerback over the years.
Read more: Eagles give Braden Mann a massive payday after career season in 2025
Woolen was every Eagles fan when he met Wentz, even if fans don't want to admit how much they loved him back in the day. It would be great to see Woolen have that same kind of impact in Philly when he first steps on the field in 2026 in the midnight green uniform.