Carson Wentz knows it won’t be just another game.
Assuming he’s healthy and hasn’t been benched, Wentz returns to the Linc with the Washington Commodores for a Week 10 Monday Night Game at Lincoln Financial Field, where he won 20 of 28 games from 2016 through 2029.
“I know that'll be a big game,” he said after the schedule was released on Thursday. “A lot of emotions.”
Wentz spoke on NFL Network’s 2022 Schedule Release show.
“I'm sure fans will eat that one up and it'll be fun and make for a good storyline," he said. "But at the end of the day, it's going to be just another ballgame.
“It's going to be a huge divisional game for us when that one comes. So I'm excited for it, but at the same time, I'm trying not to get too excited for that one, because, again, it's just football. Can't press. Can't do too much.”
The Eagles made Wentz the second pick in the 2016 draft, and in 2017 he went 11-2, threw 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions, made the Pro Bowl and helped the Eagles get into position for the No. 1 seed before suffering a knee injury in Los Angeles late in the season. He was on the sidelines watching as Nick Foles led the Eagles to the Super Bowl championship.
Although he played well at times in 2018 and 2019 – 48 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, a 14-13 record – his performances was not up to that 2017 standard, and he finished both seasons injured again.
When he was ineffective in 2020, Doug Pederson benched him for rookie Jalen Hurts, and when he made it clear he didn’t want to be with the Eagles anymore, they traded him to the Colts, who traded him to Washington.
Wentz’s first appearance against the Eagles will likely be on Sept. 25, when the Eagles play at FedEx Field. Considering how many Eagles fans will be there, it will definitely be interesting.
But nothing like Nov. 14, when the Eagles and Commodores meet on Monday Night Football at the Linc.
In his career, Wentz is 22-11-1 with 58 touchdowns and 21 interceptions and a 93.0 passer rating at the Linc.
He last played in Philadelphia on Nov. 30, 2020, when he was 25-for-45 for 215 yards with one interception and touchdown passes to Dallas Goedert and Richard Rodgers in a 23-17 loss to the Seahawks.
He was benched at halftime in Green Bay a week later and never played for the Eagles again.
“Lot of familiarity in this division,” he said. “Hopefully, I can bring some of that insight to the locker room, to the team and then kind of be that leader as well. A lot of familiarity and I'm looking forward to getting back in this division. It feels right.”
Wentz is 16-8 in his career in prime-time games with 44 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and a 94.9 passer rating.
The Eagles have won their last five Monday Night Football matchups with Washington – in 2009, 2010 and 2013 in Landover, Md., and 2017 and 2018 in Philadelphia.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.