In 2016, his rookie season, Carson Wentz ran 30 times. The quarterback avoided contact on only 12 rushes and was flat-out tackled to the ground, like any ball carrier, a dozen times.
During film review, Eagles coaches would instruct Wentz to be more cautious when running. The headstrong quarterback brushed off the advice, however, as he did so many defenders.
“It definitely went in one ear and out the other early on,” former Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich said recently. “It didn’t go exactly like this, but this is just made up to protect the innocent, or protect the guilty, however you say it: We would say to him, ‘Hey, you just need to kind of back off on some of this tackling stuff.