EAGAN, Minn. — Carson Wentz took a dramatic step Wednesday to diffuse the controversy over his painful closing look because the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback, saying he bears no sick will towards the franchise and making clear he didn’t need coach Kevin O’Connell to take away him from Thursday’s sport towards the Los Angeles Chargers.
“This is not my first rodeo,” stated Wentz, who was positioned on injured reserve this week and shortly may have season-ending surgical procedure to restore his left shoulder. “I am not an fool. I do know what I used to be signing up for going on the market. No person was forcing me, pressuring me, any of these issues.”
Wentz grimaced in ache all through the Vikings’ 37-10 loss, the results of a torn labrum and fractured shoulder socket he suffered Oct. 5 when he dislocated the shoulder throughout a Week 5 sport towards the Cleveland Browns. He performed with the harm in Week 7 towards the Philadelphia Eagles after utilizing the Vikings’ bye week to relaxation and get well, however a brief week of preparation getting into Thursday night time’s sport left the shoulder notably tender.
The Vikings trailed 31-10 early within the fourth quarter, however rookie backup Max Brosmer didn’t exchange him till 1:56 remained. After getting hit on his closing go, Wentz hurled his helmet to the sideline, coated his face with a towel and gave the impression to be holding again tears as he seemed to the sky.
Wentz, the No. 2 decide of the 2016 draft, earlier this season set an NFL file by beginning a sport for a distinct workforce in six straight years. However he had not been a daily NFL starter since 2022, and Wentz stated the prospect of enjoying in “significant” video games drove him to remain within the Vikings’ lineup for so long as doable.
“It is enjoyable,” he stated. “I am not going to lie. It is enjoyable. It is what I grew up dreaming of doing. And whenever you lose it for slightly bit, it is exhausting to need to give it up. So even with ache, and all of the issues that I knew had been going to return with it, [I wanted] to play. I need to be on the market and I need to be serving to this workforce nonetheless I can.”
Although Wentz refused to ask out of the sport, O’Connell has absorbed native and nationwide criticism for not eradicating him earlier than the ultimate minutes. When requested if he thought O’Connell ought to have taken him out earlier, Wentz stated: “Honestly, no. I recognize that everybody was checking on me and all these items — on the finish of the day, coaches, trainers, nobody actually is aware of the extent of ache or issue that I could also be feeling. And I do know TV copies can present stuff that folks on sidelines do not see, however I by no means as soon as felt unsafe. I’ve stated it a bunch, it is simply ache. It is ache. It is discomfort. I knew surgical procedure was coming, I knew it wanted to be fastened. So it was like, ‘I do not need to come out of this sport as uncomfortable as that is.'”
Talking individually to reporters Wednesday, O’Connell stated he made a “soccer determination” to maintain Wentz in, supported by the workforce’s medical workers. Regardless of a 21-point deficit that grew to 24 factors halfway via the quarter, O’Connell stated he believed the workforce nonetheless had an opportunity to win — and that he had an “obligation” to permit a veteran like Wentz to proceed if he needed to.
“The way in which we function, the place we imagine we’re out of attain could be slightly completely different than how of us watching the sport would possibly imagine it to be,” he stated. “And we have had some video games the place, thank goodness, we had that mindset. We discovered a option to win a few of these, and that is simply the assumption that the blokes have, and whenever you’ve received a man like that that is dedicated to play via one thing, so long as the medical workers would not give me any new data to that, that is type of how that occurred.”
The nationally televised sport featured a number of situations of Wentz both writhing in ache or holding his left arm tight to his chest. O’Connell stated he was not aware about these photographs on the sideline. Requested what degree of ache a participant must be in to take away him over his objections, O’Connell didn’t reply straight.
“Yeah, I believe there’s an absolute degree there,” he stated, “and I believe you need to make that call. And finally, that is not a choice you make solely by yourself. It comes from much more individuals with experience. Then, finally, whenever you ask a participant, ‘Can you continue to go? Are you able to go on the market and play?’ They usually stated, ‘Completely, nothing’s modified. I can nonetheless go.’ You then need to make the choice as the pinnacle coach and that is my accountability.”
Wentz returned to Minnesota with the workforce and determined Friday to bear surgical procedure, which can coincide with J.J. McCarthy’s return because the Vikings’ starter after a five-game absence. Brosmer will function McCarthy’s backup, and newly signed John Wolford will present extra depth.
As he spoke Wednesday, Wentz glanced at his watch a number of instances to see if his spouse, Madison, had messaged to say she was in labor. The couple is anticipating their fourth little one this week, after which afterward Wentz will schedule the surgical procedure.
“The general public backlash and various things that I am being advised are on the market I believe is personally type of loopy,” he stated. “No person’s on this constructing. No person’s in these conversations. No person is aware of what’s actually happening and transpiring behind these partitions. And I can simply actually say this place has been tremendous supportive and tremendous useful this complete time, and I am grateful for that.”