Former Eagles wideout reveals where it all went wrong for Carson Wentz

Something clicked for Carson Wentz in 2018. He knew he wouldn’t be an Eagle for life.

Former Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant would know. While Avant never played with Wentz, he’s still got plenty of sources within the organization. The retired NFL wide receiver told NBC Sports’ John Clark that Wentz’s decline in Philadelphia dates back to 2018.

“In 2018, this where the mindset of Carson — to me — with the organization changed,” Avant said. “They were not going to the playoffs, Carson was dealing with the back issue and he was playing through injury. Carson wanted to play. The organization chose against Carson’s wishes to play Nick Foles. Nick Foles (then) revives the season.”

Carson Wentz soured on the Eagles thanks to Nick Foles

Foles is an innocent bystander in all of this, but the backup turned Super Bowl hero didn’t help matters with Wentz in Philadelphia. Foles took over for Wentz in what could’ve been an MVP season, and received all the glory for a Super Bowl victory. That was 2017.

The very next season, Wentz was playing at a decent level but missed a Week 15 game due to injury. Foles led the Eagles to three straight wins and a playoff appearance, and went toe-to-toe with the Saints in the Wild Card round. Wentz was apparently unhappy with this decision, per Avant, and the pressure and distaste has only built since then.

In the end, Wentz’s injury issues cost him any opportunity to prove himself in the postseason. Even in 2019, when a Wentz-led Eagles team faced the Seahawks in the playoffs, he was injured early in the game with a concussion.

Avant, a coaching intern on the team as recently as last season, only confirmed what we already knew — Wentz’s relationship with the Eagles front office was always nearing a boiling point. That turned out to be this offseason.