Eagles

On Pat McAfee’s Show, Carson Wentz Says Reports of Fractured Doug Pederson Relationship Were “Very Exaggerated”

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Mar 19th, 2021 · 3:41 PM EDT

---

Pat McAfee is a fine West Virginia Mountaineer and a former Indianapolis Colt, so it would make sense that he would host a new Colt on his show.

Carson Wentz went on the program Friday to talk about his move to Indy, and we’re sifting through the interview for the relevant Eagles nuggets before hopefully putting this thing to bed at some point, God willing.

Here’s one clip, on Jalen Hurts and that shock draft pick last April:

Carson Wentz says the drafting of Jalen Hurts had no bearing on him and he trusted the pick and trusted the organization and he says reports of his fractured relationship with Doug Pederson were exaggerated

On @PatMcAfeeShow
pic.twitter.com/DyKGwALMIf

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) March 19, 2021

“When Jalen was drafted, that had no bearing on me. I trusted the organization and signed that contract. I was devoted to them and felt like they were devoted to me.”

Hmm, well some people might find the “felt like they were” part interesting. Maybe that’s code. But Carson FINALLY came out and said  “personally I could have played better,” which he should have said Thursday. He apparently still has a lot of respect for Doug Pederson and says the reports are “very exaggerated,” (though not outright false..). Pederson said the same thing to John Clark earlier this week, calling the idea of the fractured relationship a “misnomer.” It seems to me like Howie Roseman and the front office was the primary problem.

Another clip:

Did you hear everything that was being said?

"Just from you.. You can be a hater…

& you can change. We can change your opinion" 😂😂😂 ~ @cj_wentz #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/hjxYDErNMj

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 19, 2021

“It was frustrating, that’s why I stepped away and it almost rejuvenated me. It’s almost like, last year pissed me off so much that I want to come back in a different way and do everything I can, until I’m no longer able.”

On Nick Foles:

 

"I love Nick…

Nick & I still keep in touch, we're great friends. I know his family well & a lot of respect. Everyone just assumed naturally that we must not like each other, it's just the narrative"@cj_wentz on Nick Foles #PatMcAfeeShowLIVE pic.twitter.com/CfZAqgesfn

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 19, 2021

“Everybody would have just assumed naturally that we must not like each other and all of those things, but it’s just a narrative. It’s the narrative.”

My takeaway is that I think the Malcolm Jenkins and Chris Long comments from a few weeks ago sum it up best. Carson wasn’t a bad guy, he just needed to do a better of job of connecting with some of his teammates, and coming out of his bubble a little bit to consider other perspectives and allow himself to be coached. Doesn’t mean he was perfect, and he isn’t, but like most things in life, the truth is somewhere in the middle. Is he a total asshole? No. Is he blameless for the Eagles struggles? Absolutely not. The mutual separation is going to be good for both sides. It’s a win/win.