Chiefs’ tradition bought Carson Wentz on becoming a member of group

On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported that the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs had been signing former Philadelphia Eagles beginning quarterback Carson Wentz to function Patrick Mahomes’ backup for the upcoming season.

On Thursday, the now well-traveled Wentz — the second general collection of the 2016 NFL Draft — joined the Kansas Metropolis media for an introductory press convention through Zoom.

The Chiefs will now mark Wentz’s fourth group in 4 seasons since leaving the Eagles in 2020. Whereas he is aware of it might be one other one-year stint, Kansas Metropolis’s current success and status underneath head coach Andy Reid factored closely into his resolution.

“It’s all ‘take it someday on the time,’ at first,” Wentz acknowledged his current profession trajectory. “Huge intrigue to wanting to come back right here. Why I’m right here in the present day is simply the profitable tradition and seeing it from afar. Seeing it across the league for the final couple of years — simply the tradition that Coach Reid has set — you see it, and I’ve admired it for years. That was a giant piece of the puzzle for me: the will to right here, on a profitable group, in a very good tradition, and a very good group with a very good fan base. It simply appeared like a very good match.”

Wentz additionally has expertise with a earlier one-year Chiefs’ backup quarterback: Nick Foles who began a sport in 2016 in aid of earlier Kansas Metropolis starter Alex Smith. The 2 passers performed collectively in Philadelphia from 2017-18.

“Once I performed with Nick,” Wentz recalled, “I keep in mind all the great issues he needed to say about his time right here. He completely beloved it. He beloved working with these guys, and people issues he stated to me again then undoubtedly nonetheless rang true in my head. As I used to be making this resolution, so to talk, I simply keep in mind all of the optimistic issues he stated in regards to the group and coaches…These issues had been undoubtedly an element and sort of gave me a bit extra peace and luxury.”

Rumors swirled final offseason that the Chiefs had been focused on signing Wentz as a backup. Whereas he declined to debate specifics of any prior negotiations, the veteran appeared to haven’t any need for a prolonged course of in selecting his group, as in 2023. Wentz sat most of final season earlier than becoming a member of the Los Angeles Rams on November 8.

“I’ve been a starter, and now I’ve been a backup,” he defined. “There’s various things at play. Final 12 months sort of simply was what it was. There’s loads of the reason why it unfolded the best way it was. This 12 months, I feel [the Chiefs’] persistence in a few of these issues made me really feel extra snug with it. The 12 months I had — the 12 months I used to be sort of simply sitting out — it wasn’t essentially probably the most enjoyable sitting out all 12 months and ready for a name each single week.

“So I’m undoubtedly simply excited to be on the group and sort of undergo the complete offseason with the group: construct these relationships with coaches, make some buddies with gamers on the group, [and] be in a locker room setting once more.”

In Philadelphia, Wentz performed underneath present Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, who served as Kansas Metropolis’s offensive coordinator underneath Reid from 2015-17. Whereas Wentz pressured there might be variations within the playbooks of the 2 offensive minds, he believes he’ll shortly study the Chiefs’ offense.

“I don’t know the X’s and O’s but,” stated Wentz. “I see them from afar watching movie or watching video games every time I’d see the Chiefs on movie. I might think about it’s going to make sense to me fairly fast due to being 5 years with Coach Pederson in that offense. Clearly, there may be all the time little intricacies and variations, however I feel it’s going to make sense to me and resonate with me fairly shortly.

“That half I’m wanting ahead to, the final couple of years’ offenses have been very totally different that I’ve been in, so I’ve gotten to see lots [and] expertise lots. I feel this one will sort of hit residence so to talk and be probably the most acquainted for me during the last couple of years.”

The 6-foot-5 Wentz has been notably profitable with quarterback sneaks — a play Reid has not allowed Mahomes to run since a knee harm in 2019. Whereas some analysts have puzzled if Wentz may be deployed in some quick yardage packages, he appeared no extra educated on the matter. One in all his new teammates, nonetheless, will respect Wentz’s perception into why he has been so profitable changing key yards.

“No thought,” he stated of doubtless serving as a sneak specialist. “Sure, I’ve had loads of success with that, [but] I might credit score loads of my success to [former Eagles center] Jason Kelce through the years there in Philly. He was the actual secret ingredient to that one. No matter capability they want me to assist in any means, that’s why I’m right here.”