The Minnesota Vikings were held out of the end zone in an embarrassing 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. And now Minnesota will be without its starting quarterback. J.J. McCarthy is expected to miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain. In his absence, the team will turn to veteran passer Carson Wentz.
When the well-traveled QB takes over for the Vikings in Week 3, he’ll make history. Wentz will become the first quarterback ever to start for six different teams in six seasons, per NFL insider Ari Meirov.
The Vikings signed Wentz to a one-year deal in late August. The move capped an overhaul of the team’s quarterback room. Minnesota let Sam Darnold walk in free agency, choosing to move forward with McCarthy in 2025. The Vikings then released Brett Rypien and traded Sam Howell to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The moves left Wentz as the team’s top backup. And now he’ll try to keep Minnesota afloat while McCarthy is out.
Vikings turn to Carson Wentz for Bengals tilt
Wentz spent the first five years of his career with the Eagles after being selected second overall in the 2016 draft. He earned a Pro Bowl nod the following year, leading the Eagles to an 11-2 record and the NFC East title before a torn ACL ended his season. With Wentz sidelined, Philadelphia went on to win the championship and Nick Foles was awarded Super Bowl MVP honors.
In 2021, Wentz was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. He started all 17 games that season but the Colts fell short of the playoffs with a 9-8 record. Wentz was traded to the Washington Commanders the following year, making seven starts for the team. But he was released at the end of the season.
Wentz signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023 and started one game as Matthew Stafford’s backup. Then last season he joined the Kansas City Chiefs and filled in for Patrick Mahomes in the regular season finale with the top seed in the AFC already locked up.
Now Wentz will take over for J.J. McCarthy as the Vikings attempt to bounce back from an ugly loss to the Falcons. After a dazzling debut against the Chicago Bears, McCarthy came tumbling back to earth in Week 2. Minnesota’s offense never got going in the lopsided defeat.
Wentz and the Vikings will face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Both teams will feature backup QBs as Bengals star Joe Burrow underwent toe surgery that will sideline him until December.
