Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Doug Pederson says Carson Wentz is being coached like the other Eagles, ‘hard and aggressive’

Pederson also talked about easing tight end Zach Ertz, who has been out the past month with an ankle injury, back into practice.

Doug Pederson said he holds Carson Wentz to the same standard as the other Eagles.
Doug Pederson said he holds Carson Wentz to the same standard as the other Eagles.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer

Part of the subtext of Carson Wentz’s worst season with the Eagles has been a public perception that the quarterback isn’t being held accountable, because the same mistakes seem to occur over and over, and no one on the coaching staff takes Wentz to task publicly.

Eagles coach Doug Pederson, asked about this at his Wednesday news conference, said the perception is wrong.

“You know, this question of ‘Is he being coached hard enough?’ I don’t necessarily understand. He’s being coached the way that we would coach any of our players,” Pederson said. "We coach ‘em all the same. We coach ‘em hard and aggressive, and we’re trying to get the most out of all of our guys. It just so happens that the quarterback position is magnified. Just like my position as head coach is magnified. Every decision, every throw, everything that he and I do is gonna get criticized, and that’s OK.

“But I know how he’s being coached, and I know how he’s receiving the coaching, and how he’s practicing and how he’s working with all the players and working with the offensive line, and I get it — it hasn’t been perfect. But we’re still working, and we’re gonna get better each week.”

Pederson also said that as tight end Zach Ertz (ankle) rejoins practice, the primary objective is to “see where he’s at.” The Eagles started the clock this week on the 21-day window in which they can bring Ertz back from injured reserve. Ertz was injured in the Eagles' Oct. 18 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.