Carson Wentz landed in Indianapolis on Friday, less than 24 hours after the Colts agreed to acquire him in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, but not before bidding adieu to the franchise that drafted him and the city that loved him ... until it didn't.
The former 2016 No. 2 overall pick posted an Instagram message on Friday evening, saying goodbye to the fans, his teammates, and yes, even the coaches and front office, with whom he sparred in his final months as an Eagle.
"What a journey," Wentz wrote. "More than anything, I will miss my teammates. Thank you. I appreciate every one of you and will never forget the relationships and memories made over the years. So many lifelong relationships have been formed in that locker room. Thank you for the fellowship, the camaraderie in the locker room, and the daily battles out on the practice field!
"To the City of Philadelphia -- Thank you. You have been my home for the past five years. It has been everything a kid from Bismarck, North Dakota could have dreamed of. My family grew here, had a lot of fun, ate a lot of great food, got to be a part of an incredible church, and so many more memories off the field. On the field, we brought the Lombardi trophy home to Philly and hopefully brought a lot of joy to the city over the years. Thank you to the amazing Eagles fans across the World that have supported my family, our foundation, and our football team through all of the wins and losses. It was an honor to play in a city whose passion and love for their football team is unrivaled. Thank you for supporting my family and our AO1 foundation -- we hope we have made a positive impact in the communities in Philly and look forward to continuing our efforts to impact the area!
"Thank you to the Eagles organization for drafting me and making my NFL dream come true. Thank you Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman & the Eagles front office, Coach Pederson & all of my coaches, our training staff, our equipment staff and all of the support staff at the Nova Care Complex. It has been an amazing journey and I wish you all the best."
Once an MVP candidate and a potential Super Bowl starter, Wentz fell out of favor in Philly in 2020, one year after signing a mega-extension with the Eagles. The QB's play plummeted as the team blew opportunity after opportunity to take control of the worst division in football. Eventually, Wentz was replaced by 2020 second-round pick Jalen Hurts, who started the final four games of Philly's last-place 4-11-1 campaign.
The latest former top-two quarterback to be traded this offseason, Wentz was sent to Indy for a 2021 third-round pick and a second-round pick in 2022 that can become a first-rounder if Wentz plays 75% of snaps this season, or 70% of snaps and the Colts make the playoffs. Meanwhile, Hurts will take charge for now in Philadelphia.
After five memorable seasons, Wentz's stay in the City of Brotherly Love is over, and both QB and club are ready to move on.
"As one chapter closes, another one begins," Wentz concluded. "And I'm excited to join the Indianapolis Colts and look forward to the work ahead! God's plan!"
