Carson Wentz, once a Vikings fan, now diving in as Minnesota's backup QB

Two days before Adam Thielen came home, the Vikings added a different player who grew up cheering for them when he was a kid. Carson Wentz, signed on Sunday to be Minnesota's backup quarterback, was raised as a Vikings fan in Bismarck, ND. Speaking to the Twin Cities media for the first time on Thursday, Wentz called it surreal to finally be here as he heads into his tenth NFL season.

"It's exciting, coming to a place that I've had a lot of respect for since I've been in the NFL, but also I grew up cheering for the Vikings," he said. "So kinda surreal in that sense. ... You walk the halls upstairs and you see all the former guys you used to cheer for, I used to have the jerseys growing up as a kid."

Things change quickly in the NFL. In April, the Vikings traded for Sam Howell to be their backup QB behind J.J. McCarthy. But Howell was shaky in training camp and seemingly wasn't the best fit for Kevin O'Connell's system. So the Vikings pivoted by trading Howell to the Eagles and signing Wentz off the street.

Wentz, the former Eagles star who has turned into a journeyman backup in recent years, didn't end up signing with any team after his one-year deal with the Chiefs expired. He spent the offseason at home, staying in shape and waiting for the right opportunity. He didn't necessarily think he'd be waiting this long, but that's how it played out.

"It happened pretty quick," Wentz said of joining the Vikings. "I was obviously at home for all of camp, all of the offseason, just kinda waiting for the right thing. And this worked out. When they called, I was very excited about the opportunity to come in and help in any way I could. Not gonna lie, it beats sitting on the couch."

After a standout career at North Dakota State, Wentz was drafted second overall by the Eagles in 2016. In his second season, he threw for 33 touchdowns in 13 games before getting hurt and watching Nick Foles lead Philadelphia to a championship. Wentz was an All-Pro and finished third in MVP voting that year. He bounced back and continued to play well in 2018 and '19, but struggles in 2020 — the year Jalen Hurts was drafted — saw his time as the Eagles' starter come to an end.

Dec 20, 2020; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) reacts prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Since then, it's been a journey. Wentz started 17 games for the Colts in 2021, made a handful of starts in Washington the next year, and then fully committed to a backup role with the Rams in 2023 and the Chiefs last year. Now with his sixth team in as many years, he's already begun a two-week period of trying to get up to speed with Minnesota's offense as quickly as possible.

Helping matters is that he was with the Rams two years ago, and there are clear similarities with their offense. He also knows Vikings QBs coach Josh McCown from when the two were teammates in Philly, and he was teammates with Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in Indianapolis in '21. Still, it's a grind.

"It's never easy," Wentz said of learning a new system. "Been a new playbook every year for the past however many years for me now. There's some overlap to some spots I've been in the past, which that definitely helps. But it's still new language, still new things. The guys have been great, the coaching staff, even Max (Brosmer) and J.J. (McCarthy) have been helpful already. Trying to dive in as quick as I can and figure it out. Think I'm doing OK so far."

Wentz, now 32, will be backing up a quarterback in McCarthy who is 10 years younger than him. He said he's already been impressed in his short time around McCarthy and is looking forward to helping him however possible.

"Excited to help him however I can," Wentz said. "I've been in his shoes. We were just talking this morning, he's still a kid. He's 22 years old. I think when I was 22, I was gearing up to play for the Bison. He's got a lot of new for him going on right now, but exciting to see him step into that and be the guy. Cool to see him get the captaincy yesterday too."

Through nine years in the NFL, Wentz has experienced all kinds of highs and lows. He was on top of the football world early in his career, but it didn't last. So in recent years, he's had to lean more on the mental side of the game than his physical tools in order to extend his career as a backup.

"I was in the NFC East early on his career where he had some real dominant times there, playing for the Eagles," O'Connell said. "As his journey has gone on from there, I think he's been exposed to some really good systems, both last year in Kansas City and previously in LA. I think he's really smart.

"We'll bring him in and try to get as comfortable as we can with him, which is already off to a great start. His ability to come in and pick up things quickly, apply some of his previous things he either knew from other systems. And then I think the experience of a guy that was drafted high and had a lot of success throughout his career, that bodes really well for J.J. and Max in that room as well."

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