Chiefs’ culture sold Carson Wentz on joining team

On Monday, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported that the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have 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 number of the 2016 NFL Draft — joined the Kansas Metropolis media for an introductory press convention by way of Zoom.

The Chiefs will now mark Wentz’s fourth workforce 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 latest success and status underneath head coach Andy Reid factored closely into his choice.

“It’s all ‘take it at some point on the time,’ at the beginning,” Wentz acknowledged his latest profession trajectory. “Huge intrigue to wanting to come back right here. Why I’m right here immediately 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 need to right here, on a profitable workforce, in a great tradition, and a great group with a great fan base. It simply appeared like a great match.”

Wentz additionally has expertise with a earlier one-year Chiefs’ backup quarterback: Nick Foles who began a recreation in 2016 in reduction 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 mentioned to me again then undoubtedly nonetheless rang true in my head. As I used to be making this choice, so to talk, I simply keep in mind all of the optimistic issues he mentioned in regards to the group and coaches…These issues have been undoubtedly an element and type of gave me a little bit extra peace and luxury.”

Rumors swirled final offseason that the Chiefs have been eager about signing Wentz as a backup. Whereas he declined to debate specifics of any prior negotiations, the veteran appeared to don’t have any need for a prolonged course of in selecting his workforce, 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 yr type of simply was what it was. There’s lots of the reason why it unfolded the way in which it was. This yr, I believe [the Chiefs’] persistence in a few of these issues made me really feel extra comfy with it. The yr I had — the yr I used to be type of simply sitting out — it wasn’t essentially essentially the most enjoyable sitting out all yr and ready for a name each single week.

“So I’m undoubtedly simply excited to be on the workforce and type of undergo your entire offseason with the workforce: construct these relationships with coaches, make some associates with gamers on the workforce, [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 careworn there will likely 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,” mentioned 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 is going to make sense to me fairly fast due to being 5 years with Coach Pederson in that offense. Clearly, there may be at all times little intricacies and variations, however I believe it is 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 completely different that I’ve been in, so I’ve gotten to see lots [and] expertise lots. I believe this one will type of hit residence so to talk and be essentially the most acquainted for me during the last couple of years.”

The 6-foot-5 Wentz has been significantly profitable with quarterback sneaks — a play Reid has not allowed Mahomes to run since a knee damage in 2019. Whereas some analysts have puzzled if Wentz is perhaps deployed in some quick yardage packages, he appeared no extra educated on the matter. Certainly one of his new teammates, nevertheless, will admire Wentz’s perception into why he has been so profitable changing key yards.

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