Carson Wentz Named NFL Rookie Of The Week
Carson Wentz. (USA Today Sports)
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz has been named NFL Pepsi Rookie of the Week for his performance in Philadelphia’s Week 1 win over the Browns. Wentz beat out Will Fuller, Sterling Shepard, Tajae Sharp, and Carl Nassib to take home the award.
It’s hardly a surprise to see Wentz win this honor. The 23-year-old quarterback was very impressive in his first NFL start. Wentz completed 59.5% of his attempts against the Browns for 278 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a passer rating of 101. Wentz became one of three quarterbacks who have posted 275-plus passing yards, two-plus passing touchdowns, and zero interceptions in a season opener. The other two include Robert Griffin III and Jim Kelly.
It’s still odd to think how quickly all of Wentz’s early success has transpired. He went from likely being inactive on game day prior to the Sam Bradford trade to winning an NFL Rookie of the Week award after the first week of the 2016 season.
The Wentz hype is running high after Sunday’s performance. The rookie quarterback currently leads the NFL in jersey sales. Wentz even earned a shout-out from President Barack Obama. How Wentz responds to his early success remains to be seen. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson stressed he’s trying to keep the rookie focused on football.