Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz last week sat down with a select group of reporters, including our Reuben Frank and Dave Zangaro.
Wentz pointed out inaccuracies in the PhillyVoice report (see story), but acknowledged that he can be selfish (see story).
Below is the full transcript of the media session.
Q: At what point did you hear about the story that PhillyVoice did and what was your initial reaction?
Carson: âI heard it that morning. John (Gonoude from Eagles PR) actually sent it over to me and I was, like, I just read it and I was a little confused, I guess. Itâs never obviously fun to read your name being thrown around like that, but at the end of the day, try not to stress about it too much and let the media or the perception of others dictate who I am. I know who I am, first of all. I know how I carry myself, I know Iâm not perfect, I know I have flaws. So Iâm not going to sit here and say it was inaccurate and completely made up, Iâm not going to do that. But at the end of the day, I will say our locker room is really close. If there were guys that had issues, in hindsight, I wish we could have just talked about them. But, again, I donât know how that all happened and everything with that. Again, itâs never fun to read, but to extent, you look at it and be like, âwell, if someone did have this perception of me, why? What have I done wrong? What can I get better at? I realize I have my shortcomings. Yes, I can be selfish. I think we all have selfishness inside of us. Thereâs human elements to that, that I really look at and say, âwell, I can get better.â I always say I can be better on the field, off the field, how I carry myself. But I didnât want to make it bigger than âĤ I think everyone probably ran with it different ways and I just kind of said, âlook, Iâm just going to live my life out here and Iâm going to let that kind of shape out how it may.â Honestly, I havenât really read whatâs been happening since. Again, itâs not fun to read, but you try to take what you can from it and be better, I guess.â
Q: Have you encountered any friction in the locker room or sentiment that would suggest what came up in that story?
Carson: âNot really. Not to get into details about the story or the things that were in that, but no. I hadnât felt that way. Again, I think every guy in that locker room would say we have a very close locker room, I think everyone can be honest with each other, hold each other accountable, does this and that. And we have an issue, usually we resolve it as brothers, as the family that we are. Itâs why I think myself and a handful of other guys were just confused that it came out like that. If there were problems, we just usually handle it and it doesnât come out the way that did.â
Q: Did it bother you more because of that, if these are teammates that are saying these things about you?
Carson: âI think it bothers me more because of that and not because itâs me. But if that was about another teammate. In all of our opinion in that locker room, anything that might have friction in the locker room, doesnât need to come out through the media. It should stay in house. We should be able to handle that stuff in the locker room ourselves.â
Q: âI know you said you kind of block it out, but it is sort of human nature, you read stuff about yourself, did it affect your mood the rest of the day, did you turn your phone off? What was the rest of the day after you read it like?
Carson: âWithout a doubt, you read it and youâre frustrated. Because youâre like, âwhat?â It kind of came out of nowhere. It was just a regular offseason, I was literally eating breakfast with my wife and John texted me. Literally, we do, like, quiet time in the morning. We eat breakfast and then I go sit on the couch. So Iâm about to go read my bible and then I get that text and now Iâm reading this. I was going to read my bible and now Iâm reading this. It kind of changed my attitude a little bit, but just talking to some teammates that talked to me about it and tried to just figure out why and what can we do to resolve it. But then at the end of the day, I was just like, I went to bed and just on with the next day. I donât turn on the radio, I donât read the papers. Iâve been off of Twitter for a while other than posting tweets, so I try not to let that tie me down. But again, the real element of it, just learning. If there is truth in this, where can I improve as a teammate and as a player and all that?â
Q: âHow are you planning on handling it, or how have you been handling it to discover whether there was truth and if so how to resolve those issues with whoever may have had a problem?â
Carson: âInitially Iâm like trying to figure out who could it have been. In your mind you play detective. But then youâre like, âDoes it really matter?â If there were issues, I think if someone did say those things, theyâre probably like, âYeah maybe thatâs not how it should have came out.â You know what I mean? I think if that was said, they probably realize like as a teammate and as a family, we usually handle things in house, like I said. And so, Iâm kind of like it doesnât even matter. Iâll learn from it and weâll all learn that A, things shouldnât kind of come out the way it did, and B, the pieces that I can learn from it and be a better teammate and player and all that stuff I will grow from. But other than that, just turn the page.â
Q: âThere was one thing from the story that said a highly respected player called you out for not being a team player. Did that happen?â
Carson: âTo go off of what I was saying earlier, Iâm not really gonna get into specifics about some of those stories, but I didnât know what that was. I will say I didnât know what that was about.â
Q: âYou said you looked at some of the things and thought are there things you could do differently. What did you come out with? Was some of it truthful? Are there things to work on?â
Carson: âWell, I think just some of theâĤ Iâm trying toâĤ it seems like forever ago. Iâm trying to remember exactly what was said. But like, some of the selfishness and that stuff, well yeah, Iâll be the first to admit I can be selfish. Weâre all kind of stubborn in our own right to liking certain plays or liking certain things our way. So in my mind, Iâm like, âOk, am I ever over the top with that?â Like, can I be better? Kind of still be stubborn but with humility more. And just little things like that. But at the same time, just how I treat my teammates, all those things, it just caused me to kind of reflect. Iâll be straight up. It hasnât been the easiest last year for me on the physical level, just battling the injuries, but then just personally going through it, sitting on the sideline and then playing and then sitting on the sideline again. So I realize like I maybe wasnât the greatest teammate at times because I was emotionally kind of all over the place. To the outside world, I probably didnât show it much. But internally, I mean, youâre definitely fighting some sort of emotions as you guys would probably expect. So thereâs things to learn just about how to handle myself in certain situations. But nothing really specific from that, other than what I just shared.â
Q: âIt seems the context, fair or unfair, is comparing you to Nick. And no matter what happens with Nick, I gotta imagine that wonât go away. How do you plan on dealing with that because I imagine that comparison will exist.â
Carson: âAgain, itâs something thereâs nothing you can do about it. For one, I love Nick. Nick and I are great friends and strong believers and we have the same values and everything. Weâll be the first to say that we are different. Like how we go about our days. Iâve learned some things from him. I know heâs learned some things from me. But weâd be the first to say our personalities are kind of different. But thatâs why I think we were such good friends to some extent as well. And so, thatâs off-topic a little bit but that stuff, I canât worry about that. That so-called shadow or whatever you want to call it, I canât let that bother me. I know what Iâm capable of on the field. I know what Iâve done in the past, and I know where I envision this team going. And so, I donât really worry about whatâs happened in the past â the shadow, the pressure, the stress. Thereâs plenty of it. Whether thatâs from living in quote that shadow or whatever, thereâs plenty of stress and pressure here that you try and block out as much as you can.â
Q: How much did the uniqueness of the situation of the past year and difficulty of the situation of the past year affect your approach to your game or your teammates in the locker room?
Carson: âThatâs a good question and itâs kind of multi-layered a little bit. Just because, you know, you go through the first injury, and youâre just 100 percent determined to get back, thatâs like why my mind is on, and looking back were there things that maybe I neglected as a teammate and as a friend because I was just so determined and thatâs all that mattered. It was tough because any time youâre hurt youâre really not with the team as much, youâre in the training room more or at practice. You guys saw me in the spring, I was on the other field doing conditioning or sprints or whatever I was working on, so like kind of just have this element of (being) separate a little bit, so there are just elements of that as far as being a teammate that you get so focused on just getting the knee right or getting back that you can miss out on the human side of the things and the personal side of being a teammate and being around your brothers and spending time and all that, so thereâs that element that I definitely kind of look back on like, âWere there moments or were there opportunities that I just kind of neglected because I put just wanting to be healthy first?â And so thereâs things that you look back and youâre like, âOK, thatâs something I canât lose sight of,â whether youâre going through an injury or youâre 100 percent healthy. Like just being the same person. Iâm going to always strive to be the best I can be on the field but just not letting the kind of circumstances change like my attitude, if that makes sense a little bit? It kind of some extent learning just how to handle the different levels of adversity and pressure that come with it. And not let it shake me to some extent and change my approach more than anythingâĤ.â
Q: âThat was more for the locker room. What about on the field? Trying to reassert yourself back into the fray? Did it affect your approach?â Â
Carson: âI donât think so and I donât think it will. The one thing that even going back for as long as I can remember, when I get the ball in my hand and Iâm on the field nothing else really matters. Weâre just playing ball. So like on the field I never really felt added pressure to perform or that sort of thing. However big the circumstance or situation is I never really let it change me so I guess to answer your question like coming back it was like, no, I wasnât really trying to prove to anyone that I was back, I was just happy to be playing again and be out there again so thatâs something that I donât really worry about, going forward, to reassert myself with those things. Iâll just play ball and let that kind of handle itself.â
Q: âYouâve never really been criticized before so this is something new for you. How difficult is that?â Â
Carson: âThatâs a good question. I think one thing you do think of is coming for the draft, everythingâs picked apart. Youâre criticized, youâre pumped up, everyone is ripping through you, the good, the bad, the ugly, and so just knowing kind of where Iâve grown up and to some extent youâre right. In college, criticized, never was necessarily, but maybe just looked down upon. That was something coming out, I felt like I had to prove people wrong and that sort of thing. And so Iâve just kind of learned to not worry about other peoplesâ perceptions or othersâ perspective and really what matters is first, I know what my identity is in Christ first and Iâve got to always keep that in perspective first and foremost and then be a good teammate, being around my brothers and not worrying about the fans and everybody else because youâre never going to make everyone happy and thatâs just exhausting trying.â
Q: Bullied Mike Groh and resisted running Foles stuff?
Carson: âThe fact of bullying Mike GrohâĤGroh and I talked to each other that day when it came out, and I think we all know that never took place. I even go back to the year before with Frank [Reich], I know Frank has gone and said that he and I used to have these competitive arguments, but theyâre healthy. That stuff happens. Thatâs, I think, what good football teams have, the ability to respectfully do that and kind of be stubborn and those things. It was the same way with Groh. In my opinion, he is a very good football mind and in my opinion I feel like I have something to contribute, too, so I thought we had some really healthy dialogue. To say, quote, âbullied him,â Iâd say thatâs kind of disrespectful to Groh. I donât think anyone bullies Coach Groh. And then B, I think we have a great relationship and itâs just going to keep getting better. That line, I was kind of blown away with what that would have meant. And then the idea of running Folesâ stuff, we both see the game differently to some extent. But to say I was resistant to running his stuff and then vice versa, thereâs so many things to the Xâs and Oâs of the game, to just say a blanket statement like that just doesnât necessarily do it justice. We both like different concepts but overall weâre running similar stuff. And we kind of base it off of, whatâs the defense giving usâĤItâs such a blanket statement that thereâs too many intricacies to that that donât necessarily apply.â
Q: But you never said, âIâm not running âXâ?
Carson: âNo.â
Q: Healthy arguments: examples of how those play out?
Carson: âNot to get into specifics, but thereâs plenty of times throughout the week where, like each coach is responsible for certain parts of the game plan, and then Iâll watch film and Iâll bring a play. So itâs third down, Iâll bring it to the coach who works on the third down stuff. Â Iâll bring up a play and then Iâll try to get it installed, for example, and thereâs different level to A, getting it in the game plan, obviously Dougâs got to sign off on it at the end of the day. Maybe Iâll show some film, âThis is why I think it will work,â and then theyâll show, âBut what if we get this. This is why it doesnât work.â Stuff like that. You can do that for every single play. Itâs kind of this, you want to be on the same page with the coaches, and at the end of the day, on game day, you usually are, but throughout the week thereâs those little things like, âIâm not feeling that play, coach. This is what theyâre showing coverage-wise in this situation, I donât see it.â So sometimes weâll take that play out or weâll talk through it. And you could view those as arguments, but really I think itâs just for the betterment of the team. We know weâre actually getting somewhere and itâs productive and I think itâs really healthy, and I think the coaches would say the same thing.â
Q: On whether his personality is a âgood thingâ for a QB and not something he wants to lose:Â
Carson: âYeah, I think for one, Iâm 26 years old. My personality, to some extent, ainât going to change. Whatâs gotten me here, whatâs gotten me successful, Iâm not going to say, âOh, now Iâm going to have this free-spirited, Cali-guy vibe.â Thatâs just not going to change. So to answer your question, I think youâre to some extent correct. The Type-A mindset â thereâs things to learn, thereâs a fine line. Any time youâre a Type-A guy, thereâs a fine line being pushy and shovy and humble and humility and walking that line. Definitely learning to navigate that always and never trying to look down on anybody or make it seem like Iâm better than anybody. But at the same time, as a Type-A, so-to-speak, confident person thatâs confident in off-the-field things and then on the field with what we like, thatâs not going to change. Thatâs not going to go anywhere. I think thatâs something that is a positive if used correctly, yes.â
Q: On how the season unfolded:
Carson: âObviously, it was frustrating watching, Again, thatâs the No. 1 thing I remember the last two years was watching from the sidelines isnât fun. I want to do everything I can to be healthy, to stay healthy, and not have to do that again. I thought the offense, I thought it was great. I was ecstatic to see the guys kind of rally. I think it was awesome for Nick to show there wasnât a fluke. Nick's a heck of a player. But at the same time, thereâs the real emotions that, again the same thing, I want to be out there. Here we are again, and when I went down we were losing, and here weâre winning. Thereâs all those real emotions that youâve got to battle. But at the end of the day, I thought it was just really cool to see the team from where we were and how we rallied together to get to where we finished. I thought it was cool to see.â
Q: Why did it happen that way?
Carson: âI donât know. I think you look back throughout the season, and weâre going to say this every single year, why did we lose that one game? Well, one play, two plays. Thereâs little plays throughout the year. I donât want to sound like a broken record. Thereâs just little things, mis-execution on the offensive side of the ball, defense, special teams. All little things that can culminate. And so we were right there in all those other games. We just didnât finish. We put it together late in the year, and itâs hard to say exactly why. But we kind of rally around each other and found a way to win, which we really werenât doing early in the year. Hard to sayâĤexactly why.â
Q: What happens now â howâs your back, whatâs your timetable?
Carson: âItâs getting better. Itâs getting better. Any time you have a broken bone, you canât really rush anything. Even though it is a stress fracture, itâs different. But itâs still fractured. So just trying to progress on pace. So come spring, hopefully weâre out there, weâre working, we never look back. And just keep progressing to the season. And Iâm excited. Iâm excited to put all this behind me, the injuries, and then do everything I can to just be healthy, stay healthy, and get back on this driverâs seat. Iâm excited for where this teamâs heading."
Q: How about the knee?
Carson: âItâs a process. As far as injury prevention, I felt great. I didnât feel â I felt confident, all those things â but as far as being explosive and all those things, I never quite, and Iâm not going to use it as an excuse by any means, but I watched the tape from two years ago, you watch last year, you can say I wasnât quite there as far as mobility stuff. And thatâs something Iâll keep working through. And everyone kind of says itâs an 18-month, two-year thing to get really feeling strong again and back to normal. Itâs getting better. Itâs going to keep getting better. And I donât think weâll worry about hopefully either of these injuries going forward.â
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