Carson Wentz isn't oblivious. He isn't stupid. He knows what people are saying. He knows that until he proves otherwise he's going to carry that injury-prone tag.
He's proven beyond a shadow of a doubt he can play quarterback at a high level.
He hasn't proven he can do it without getting hurt.
I realize that's other peoples' opinions on things. I first and foremost am looking forward to hopefully putting that to rest over the next couple years. At the end of the day you play this game you can't control injuries, things happen, and I'm going to do everything I can to avoid those. My hope and goal is to put those doubts to rest.
It's happened two years in a row now, and it's fair to ask if Wentz is going to be one of those guys who's always hurt.
Consider this: Wentz has already missed more games in just three seasons than Philip Rivers, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Drew Brees or Tom Brady have missed in the last 10 years.
Philadelphia Eagles
Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles and their NFL rivals from NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Super frustrating. You want to play postseason football, I still have zero games of postseason football under my belt and realize I have a lot to prove in that regard, but I'm confident that I will get the chance to do that and without a doubt the human side of it is frustrating. You want to be out there with the guys and help the team win, and to be on the sideline two years in a row, it's tough.
You can't question Wentz's ability.
Over the last two years, he's 16-8, he's completed 65 percent of his passes and he's got 54 TDs and 14 INTs. His 102.0 passer rating is fifth-highest in the NFL during that span.
Wentz missed eight games as a college senior with a broken wrist but returned in time to lead North Dakota State to the national championship. He missed the preseason his rookie year with a small rib fracture but played the entire regular season. Then there was the ACL last year and the back fracture this year.
It's frustrating. Injuries happen, they're frustrating, you can't control all of them. There's some things you can learn how to protect yourself (from) and those types of things and I'm going to do everything I can to take those preventative measures and get my body right and really just explore all options to stay healthy, but at the end of the day you can't control them and God-willing I'm looking forward to a long career where I can kind of silence those doubts.
Wentz spoke this week for the first time since Dec. 9 in Dallas after the Eagles lost to the Cowboys in overtime, the last time he played.
The Eagles announced the next day that his back injury would shelve him indefinitely, and Foles wound up winning four straight games before the playoff loss in New Orleans Sunday.
Wentz said he could have played at a functional level but he would have put himself at risk if he did - and his play would have suffered.
We decided as we discovered exactly what it was - did my due diligence, got other opinions - that it wasn't the best idea to play with the risks involved. I wanted to be out there, no doubt, but the risks involved and the ways it was ultimately hindering me, it wasn't worth it. Maybe physically I might have felt like I could have gone out there but the risks weren't worth it.
Wentz said he can't pinpoint exactly when his back pain started. He first appeared on the Eagles' injury report on Oct. 17.
He also said he expects to be fully healed in time to participate in spring minicamps.
And he indicated - and this was interesting - that the next few months will give him a chance not just for his back to heal but for his knee to get stronger as well.
Wentz did play 16 games in 2016, so we know he can do it. Now he just needs to do it a bunch of years in a row.
"We have a lot of confidence in Carson and his ability to be our quarterback and to be hopefully a 19-game starter," Howie Roseman said Tuesday.
Wentz has to stay healthy. Because Nick Foles won't be here anymore to save the day.
Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.
