MINNEAPOLIS, Sep 18 – Carson Wentz has never traveled a simple road in professional football, but his latest chapter feels like a storybook twist. Nearly two decades after rooting for the Minnesota Vikings as a kid in North Dakota, the veteran quarterback will be under center for the very team he once idolized. The moment comes not by design, but by circumstance, as rookie starter J.J. McCarthy recovers from a sprained ankle.
Three weeks ago, Wentz signed with the Vikings to provide depth and experience behind McCarthy. Now, with the rookie temporarily sidelined, he is running the first-team offense and preparing to face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. At 32, Wentz is set to extend an unusual NFL record: he will start for his sixth team in as many seasons.
“It’s wild when I stop and think about it,” Wentz admitted during the week, reflecting on the journey that has taken him from top draft pick to journeyman quarterback.
Wentz’s Unlikely Journey
Wentz’s football career began humbly. Growing up in Bismarck, North Dakota, he was far from a guaranteed prospect. A late growth spurt in high school gave him the size and recognition needed to draw attention, eventually earning him a place at North Dakota State. From there, he made the rare leap from the FCS to becoming the second overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
His early years in Philadelphia showcased his potential. In 2017, he played at an MVP-caliber level before suffering a devastating ACL injury that forced him to miss the Eagles’ playoff run. Though Nick Foles carried the team to a Super Bowl title, Wentz had played a pivotal role in putting them in that position. For the next few seasons, his performance was strong when healthy, but by 2020 his struggles began to mount.
The Eagles eventually shifted to Jalen Hurts, and Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. After a single season there, he was moved again, this time to Washington. In 2023, the Los Angeles Rams brought him in late in the season to back up Matthew Stafford, and last year he served as a reserve behind Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.
These experiences, from starter to backup and everything in between, have shaped his outlook. “Being traded, cut, and then having the chance to sit behind some incredible quarterbacks has taught me perspective,” Wentz said. “You realize you can’t take any of this for granted.”
Now with Minnesota, Wentz isn’t just studying Kevin O’Connell’s playbook or fielding ticket requests from friends and family. He’s also serving as a mentor to McCarthy, offering guidance on how to handle the frustration of being injured so early in a career. For Wentz, it is a role reversal of sorts: the seasoned veteran passing down lessons learned from both triumphs and setbacks.
Bengals Facing Their Own Quarterback Shift
Sunday’s matchup adds another wrinkle: the Bengals are also leaning on a backup quarterback. With Joe Burrow sidelined following toe surgery, Jake Browning steps in once more. Browning has experience in these situations, having started seven games two seasons ago when Burrow dealt with a wrist injury.
Browning is no stranger to Minnesota, either. He spent time on the Vikings practice squad in 2019 and 2020 before being released in 2021. That history adds an extra layer of intrigue to his return. “Back then, I had to convince myself I truly belonged in this league,” Browning said. “In this league, you need a little bit of delusional confidence just to stay afloat.”
For Cincinnati, the challenge has been more than quarterback play. Their ground game has struggled, averaging a league-low 2.4 yards per carry. The absence of explosive runs has put added pressure on the passing game. Rookie running back Chase Brown flashed early with a solid first drive in the opener, but his production since has been minimal.
Minnesota’s defense, however, is not without its vulnerabilities. Last week, Atlanta gashed the Vikings for 218 rushing yards, exposing gaps in their ability to contain physical ground attacks. If the Bengals can find balance on offense, Browning may have an easier path to keeping drives alive.
Defensively, Cincinnati has shown promise. Their four interceptions across the first two weeks mark their best start in over a decade. Safety Jordan Battle has stood out, becoming the first Bengal since 1996 to snag picks in back-to-back games to open a season. Pass rusher Trey Hendrickson has also made his presence felt, piling up quarterback pressures and consistently disrupting plays. Still, the Bengals defense has one glaring issue: time of possession. Opponents have controlled the ball for an average of 34 minutes per game, including more than 19 minutes in the second half alone, leaving the defense worn down late.
The recent history between these two teams suggests fans should expect drama. Both of their last two meetings went into overtime, with the Bengals narrowly escaping each time. In 2021, the Vikings rallied from a 24-point deficit only to lose on a last-second kick. In 2023, the Bengals stormed back from a 14-point fourth-quarter hole to force overtime and win.
Now, both franchises find themselves once again testing depth at quarterback. For Carson Wentz, it is an emotional full-circle moment, a chance to step into the starting role for the team he once cheered for as a child. For Jake Browning, it is another opportunity to prove he can keep a playoff-caliber team afloat.