KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former NFL quarterback Nick Foles still remembers when he was launching his new apparel company with retired punter Pat O’Donnell, and they decided to send some “Dad SZN” merch to some of their old pals in various locker rooms.
The package he sent to Kansas City ended up with Carson Wentz.
His old QB buddy sent back a picture of him wearing the hat.
“I was super grateful for that,” Foles recalled.
It is precisely that willingness to do anything for anybody that has come in handy during Wentz’s first season with the Chiefs, where he’s had to adapt to the life of a backup.
The second overall pick in the 2016 draft started 93 games, even making the Pro Bowl with Philadelphia, but has had to embrace the lifestyle of a quarterback likely to spend the entire game holding a clipboard but who also could be pressed into service at any moment.
In fact, that moment happened Sunday in Cleveland, where Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes hurt his ankle late in their 21-7 win over the Browns. Wentz trotted onto the field, completed both of his pass attempts for 20 yards and was able to help put away a victory that kept Kansas City in control of the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
“It’s been different,” acknowledged Wentz, who got a taste of the backup role last year with the Rams, where he played behind Matthew Stafford. “Being behind Patrick has been another new experience for me. I’ve been able to see Patrick play at a high level and see this organization through a different lens. It’s been fun doing it.”
Mahomes has been practicing on his ailing ankle this week, and all indications are he’ll be ready when the AFC West champion Chiefs play the AFC South champion Texans on Saturday. But if there are any hesitations, Wentz would get the nod.
“You have to be mentally strong as the backup,” said Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, who had some experience with that role himself. “And it’s the same thing this week. I’d like to say something changes; it doesn’t. Carson prepares like the best of them. He knows if he has to play, he’ll be ready.”
Make no mistake: Wentz still believes he can start in the NFL.
So does Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who seems almost resigned to losing him after this season.
“I mean, he’s started in this league and been successful,” Reid said. “He’s got a great feel for the offense, very smart, big arm. I mean, I like the way he carries himself. He should be starting in this league somewhere. He’s a heck of a player.”
The raw statistics point to how productive Wentz has been as a professional. He has thrown for more than 22,000 yards with 153 touchdown passes and 67 interceptions, and, more importantly, has a 47-45-1 record over parts of nine seasons.
In all respects, he is precisely the kind of backup QB the Chiefs so often covet. It was Matt Moore and Chad Henne a few years ago, and Blaine Gabbert last season — all former starters who had success in the league and could be counted on to keep a franchise with Super Bowl expectations in the mix should Mahomes miss a game.
“You listen to Pat, he’s like, ‘Why isn’t this guy starting somewhere?’ Those are the conversations you hear,” Reid said. “Yeah, selfishly I’d like to keep him here in this position, but I kind of know what’s going on out there with quarterbacks.”
What has been good for Kansas City has likewise been good for Wentz, too. He has been able to pick up a few things from a two-time MVP starting in front of him, to say nothing of a coach who has three Super Bowl rings.
“I think he’s in an awesome spot in Kansas City,” said Foles, who played with Wentz in Philadelphia and also spent a year playing for the Chiefs. “I know they’re fortunate to have him because I still believe he’s a great quarterback.”
NOTES: CB Chamarri Conner (concussion) and LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring) missed practice for the second straight day. … CB Chris Roland-Wallace has gotten most of the nickelback snaps this week with Conner likely out Saturday. “We have a couple of different things we’re looking at,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “When you have injuries you have to find solutions, so there’s things we’ll do.” … Harrison Butker’s missed FG last week in Cleveland was the product of communication problems, special teams coach Dave Toub said, and not because of the surgery on his non-kicking knee. “I need to do a better job communicating to the holder and the snapper that we’re going to kick the field goal,” Toub said. “That was my fault.
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