Carson Wentz says goodbye to Eagles fans on Instagram, thanks Jeffrey Lurie, Howie Roseman, and Doug Pederson among others
Wentz released his first public statement regarding football in more than two months to say goodbye to his teammates, the Eagles organization, and the fans.
A few hours after boarding an airplane out of Philadelphia, Carson Wentz penned his goodbye.
One day after the 28-year-old quarterback was traded to the Indianapolis Colts, Wentz released his first public statement regarding football in more than two months to say goodbye to his teammates, the Eagles organization, and the fans.
“What a journey,” Wentz wrote in the statement, which was released on Instagram Friday night. “More than anything, I will miss my teammates. Thank you. I appreciate every one of you and will never forget the relationships and memories made over the years. So many lifelong relationships have been formed in that locker room. Thank you for the fellowship, the camaraderie in the locker room, and the daily battles out on the practice field! To the City of Philadelphia—Thank you. You have been my home for the past five years. It has been everything a kid from Bismarck, North Dakota could have dreamed of. My family grew here, had a lot of fun, ate a lot of great food, got to be a part of an incredible church, and so many more memories off the field.
“On the field, we brought the Lombardi trophy home to Philly and hopefully brought a lot of joy to the city over the years,” he added. “Thank you to the amazing Eagles fans across the World that have supported my family, our foundation, and our football team through all of the wins and losses. It was an honor to play in a city whose passion and love for their football team is unrivaled.”
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Outside of a handful of social media posts ranging from thanking a young fan, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and a video supporting Rodney McLeod’s nomination for Walter Payton Man of the Year, this is the first time Wentz has made public comments since being benched on Dec. 6.
Wentz reportedly wanted a trade earlier this offseason because of a soured relationship with the Eagles’ organization and he’s now set to rejoin Frank Reich, the Colts’ head coach and former Eagles’ offensive coordinator. He went 35-32-1 as a starter with the Eagles and is coming off the worst season of his career, in which he threw 16 touchdowns to 15 interceptions.
In his statement, Wentz also thanked several key members of the Eagles’ organization during his career, including owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman, and now-fired coach Doug Pederson. Wentz also said he hopes to do more charitable activities in the city through his “Audience of One” foundation moving forward.
“Thank you for supporting my family and our AO1 foundation — we hope we have made a positive impact in the communities in Philly and look forward to continuing our efforts to impact the area,” he said. “Thank you to the Eagles organization for drafting me and making my NFL dream come true. Thank you Mr. Lurie, Howie Roseman & the Eagles front office, coach Pederson & all of my coaches, our training staff, our equipment staff and all of the support staff at the Nova Care Complex. It has been an amazing journey and I wish you all the best. As one chapter closes, another one begins. And I’m excited to join the Indianapolis Colts and look forward to the work ahead! God’s plan!”
» READ MORE: Our complete coverage of the Carson Wentz trade