The Eagles' worst fear was realized when an MRI exam confirmed that quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Sunday's 43-35 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Coach Doug Pederson made the official announcement at a press conference Monday.
Wentz will miss the remainder of the season and postseason and will require surgery in the coming days. There's no word yet on when the surgery will take place. The Eagles will turn to Nick Foles at quarterback.
"The reason we went out to get Nick Foles is for reasons like this," Pederson said. "I'm excited for Nick, obviously. I hate it for Carson Wentz. I hate it for the season he's been having. But at the same time, it's been the 'Next man up' mentality, and that's how we approach it."
Wentz, a bona fide MVP candidate this season, injured his knee while trying to dive for a touchdown on a third-quarter scramble on Sunday. He remained in the game for four snaps after the injury, throwing his 33rd touchdown pass of the season. That broke Sonny Jurgensen's franchise record, set back in 1961. Pederson said the injury might have occurred before the contact based on watching the film.
This diagnosis does not just affect the Eagles' present. It usually takes a player 6-9 months to recover from the required surgery, so Wentz will likely be sidelined during the offseason program going into next season.
The Eagles return to practice on Wednesday to prepare for Sunday's game on the road against New York Giants. They close the season at home against the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys before hosting a home playoff game.
Pederson offered a long message for those who think the Eagles' Super Bowl chances have vanished:
"People thought our chances were gone by the wayside when Jason Peters went down, too. And when Darren Sproles was down. And all the guys I mentioned earlier. And to the fans out there, you can't lose faith.
"This has been a resilient football team all season long. And if there's ever an opportunity for me as a head football coach to rally the troops, now might be the time. You just came off a tremendous victory to win the NFC East. Guys are riding extremely high. It's a little bittersweet. But you know what? We got the Giants this week. We've got an opportunity if you win Sunday, you get a first-round bye. So there's still a lot to play for. That's what's exciting for the rest of the season. We're still playing for the opportunity to hopefully be in (the Super Bowl).
"Nick has played a ton of football. I was here when we drafted him. We drafted him for a reason. We went out and got him again this offseason for a reason. You never want it to be under these circumstances, but at the same time, my confidence is extremely high in Nick. You saw what he did in that game last night. The big third-and-8 to Nelson. People ask me, 'Why did you throw the ball?' Because I've got confidence in Nick.
"I've got confidence in the guys. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to continue to stay aggressive. I'm going to lead this football team. It falls more on my shoulders than these players. So that's why they need to stay encouraged, that's why they need to stay excited about this opportunity we have in front of us."
