The Indianapolis Colts made it known how they felt about Carson Wentz when they decided to trade him away after just one season — despite giving up a first round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for him. You’d think they wouldn’t have to elaborate any further regarding how they really feel about their former quarterback…
But Jim Irsay decided to go there anyway.
While speaking at Tuesday’s Annual League Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, Irsay dove right into his thoughts on Wentz. And he certainly didn’t hold back. When discussing his reason for moving on from the former Eagles second-overall pick, Irsay had the following to say:
“I think the worst thing you can do is have a mistake and try to keep living with it going forward. For us, it was something we had to move away from as a franchise. It was very obvious.”
Irsay was clearly still bitter about that week 18 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. And it’s obvious whose fault he thought it was (via NFL.com).
“No disrespect to Jacksonville, but I mean, they’re the worst team in the league. You play well and hard for the first quarter or so, and they’re looking to go to their locker room and clean it out. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life,” Irsay said. “You say, ‘My God, there’s something wrong here.’ It needs to be corrected. I think that we feel like we did.
“Your guy’s gotta pick you up and carry you through Jacksonville,” Irsay said. “He has to do it. Not an option. Has to. No excuses, no explanations.”
And believe it or not, the bashing didn’t stop there. Irsay went on to praise Colts GM Chris Ballard for being able to find a trade partner for Wentz, as if he was damaged goods that no one wanted to be within 50 feet of.
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“I think it was really quite remarkable and a great tribute to Chris, to generate strong trade interest and get the deal done with Washington ,” Irsay said. “I don’t lose the fact that it was a pretty big blessing from the football gods, where we were and where we could be if things don’t materialize to that level. You end up cutting Carson, and we’d get nothing.”
When you’re “thanking the football gods” that you were able to get rid of the guy that you just traded a first round pick for less than a year ago, you know there’s still a strong sense of resentment there.
Which is strange, considering the fact that Wentz played through some significant injuries and actually put together a solid campaign for Irsay’s club, throwing for 27 touchdowns compared to just seven interceptions, while posting the 9th best QBR in the league.
And it’s not like Irsay and the Colts were handing him the reins to a perennial Super Bowl contender. Indy had just one playoff victory in the six years prior to Wentz’s arrival. Perhaps Irsay should lower his expectations a little. After all, does he really believe things are going to be that much better with a 37-year-old Matt Ryan under center?
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