The start to the 2021 season has not been easy for the Indianapolis Colts and their new starting quarterback in Carson Wentz.
While Wentz has played well on the field in his two games, there have been major questions about his availability every week since the start of training camp. From having foot surgery to a stint on the COVID-19 list and now dealing with two ankle sprains, the availability of the starting quarterback is constantly in question.
It appears to be taking a slight toll on owner Jim Irsay, who challenged his unvaccinated quarterback to stay healthy—something that Wentz has struggled with in recent seasons.
“I know how hard he’s worked. I know he’s respected in the locker room, and all those sorts of things. But, you know, he has to stay healthy. You know, no one’s hiding behind the M.O. of the past. That was there, and you know since we, you know, came here and going through the months we’ve been through, there’s been difficulties,” Irsay said Saturday night in Nashville.
The injury history was known for the Colts when they traded for Wentz this offseason. That narrative has stuck true since the start of training camp. It also doesn’t help that the Colts have allowed 6.0 sacks and 21 quarterback hits through the first two games.
Wentz had to undergo foot surgery just a few days into camp. That kept him off the field for the entire preseason. Almost immediately upon his quick recovery from foot surgery, Wentz was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list due to being a close contact. He missed an entire week of practice before the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. That wouldn’t have been the case if he was vaccinated.
Regardless of your stance on the vaccination, there is no denying Wentz runs the risk of missing time even if he doesn’t test positive. As an unvaccinated player, close contacts must quarantine for five days. Vaccinated players do not.
Those frustrations of possibly missing their starting quarterback due to the league’s protocols were vented by Irsay on Saturday night.
“And it also makes it difficult if you’re not vaccinated, you know, because it makes it harder to depend on someone if they’re not vaccinated,” Irsay said. “So they have freedom of choice and we understand that. But, you know, we — we’re hoping he can come back and play well. I think he’ll be a game-time decision.”
Wentz somewhat addressed his decision to not get vaccinated, simply saying it was a personal choice.
“Yeah, trust me, it is a personal decision,” Wentz told reporters before the season. “I’m not going to go into depth on why but I will say it’s a personal decision for me and my family. I respect everybody else’s decision and I just ask that everybody does the same for me.”
Wentz clearly has a solid standing in the locker room. His toughness to play through injury is admirable, and his teammates voted him to be one of the team captains.
But staying healthy and available is crucial for Wentz to change the narrative that surrounded him during what was a disastrous 2020 season.
Now, after an 0-2 start, dealing with several injuries and a stint on the COVID-19 list, Irsay is challenging his new quarterback to be available for the team that spent two draft picks in order to acquire him.
We’ll see what the future holds for the Colts this season, but it certainly is interesting to see Irsay give an out-of-character public challenge to his starting quarterback.
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