Report: Eagles sources label Carson Wentz “selfish,’ ‘uncompromising’ and ‘egotistical’

A scathing report about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has emerged from PhillyVoice’s Joe Santoliquito. Citing numerous NFL and Eagles sources, the report claims there’s a belief Wentz “may have been the root of the Eagles’ offensive problems” in 2018. The whole thing is obviously worth reading, but here’s a sample:

But while the sentiment in the Eagles’ locker room is that Nick Foles is “universally loved,” Wentz isn’t.

His aw-shucks, overgrown-Opie-from-Mayberry routine plays well with the local and national media. Indeed, sources describe Wentz as “incredibly hard working,” “determined,” and “highly intelligent.” But the true Wentz is more nuanced and complicated, with sources describing him as “selfish,” “uncompromising,” “egotistical,” one who plays “favorites” and doesn’t like to be “questioned,” one who needs to “practice what he preaches” and fails “to take accountability.”

Numerous sources confirmed Wentz was once verbally attacked by a highly respected teammate for not being “a team guy.”

“Carson Wentz’s biggest enemy is Carson Wentz,” one source said. “He’s had his ass kissed his whole life, and sometimes acts like he’s won 10 Super Bowls, when he hasn’t played in, let alone won, a playoff game yet. Everyone around him wants good things for him. He did more thinking on the field than he did playing (in 2018). You don’t have to be a brain surgeon or a football expert to see how differently this team plays and reacts with one guy as opposed to the other.”

Here are some thoughts on the entire report.

• Well, this isn’t an ideal start to a Monday.
• I’ve seen some people wonder about the legitimacy of this report since they don’t know who Joe Santoliquito is. Joe isn’t a regular news breaker, though he did have a DeSean Jackson scoop back in 2014, but he does have legitimate sources. He’s a credentialed media member. I sit next to him in the press box at Eagles games. He’s not just fabricating information to get attention.
• As this report mentions, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard of some internal strife in the Eagles’ locker room. Back in late November, a team source told ESPN that “I feel like we’re over-targeting Zach Ertz.”
• On the Ertz note, I would like to note that Wentz targeted Ertz 9.6 times per game while Foles targeted him 9.3 times per game.
• I would like to repeat something I wrote about Wentz needing to mature following the Texans game:

And, really, the people criticizing Wentz should take a closer look at Foles’ path and consider it might take some time for Ginger Jesus to truly reach his peak. Maybe Wentz will develop the poise that Foles has with more experience. Maybe have some patience. I don’t think you can just say that Foles is the same player he was before he originally got traded away. This new version is significantly better than the old version. Foles’ maturation as both a football player and a human being probably factors into that.

• I’d venture to guess a number of franchise quarterbacks would be labeled with the terms used for Wentz in this story. With that said, how many players on other teams would go talk about their quarterback behind his back like this?
• This report obviously puts a lot of pressure on Wentz (and the Eagles) heading into 2019. Wentz is now eligible for a contract extension since he’s completed three years in the league. Will the team extend him? Are they concerned about his behavior? Will Wentz be able to put these criticisms behind him? A lot of questions to be answered.