Press Pass: Doug Pederson

that sent text messages and all that. Um. The second thing is I want to I want to thank Sam Bradford, um for everything he's done. He came in here and he led this football team and he did everything that I asked him to do. And UM, I wish him well. I know he's gonna be a fine He went to a great place, went to a great place, good football team. And I'm just happy for him and excited for him, and and I just want to thank him for everything that he did for for this Eagles organization the last

last few years. And then the third thing is this, Uh, Carson Wentz. We'll start the game on Sunday. Chase will be number two, and uh we're moving. We're moving forward

in that direction. So with that, I'll opening up the questions. Um, you know, we obviously made this decision, and uh, I spent um obviously over the weekend with with with my offensive staff, with Frank and d Flippo and really the entire staff, and everybody feels like this is this kid's ready to go, you know, and and we we drafted him to to take take on the reins and and uh, um you know it's something now that that that we're prepared to do and looking forward to to Cleveland, and

and uh, you know, one day at a time with him and and uh, at the same time, we've we've got to be uh you know, obviously smart and how we handle it, but at the same time fully expect him to perform like he's capable of performing. And what we've seen throughout OTAs and training him, he is he is. He did he did? You know the fact that that I had a chance to go watch him, uh and work him out way back in the spring meet the

kid a mature individual. What he did in all of OTAs, what he's done around this building, the plays he's made in practice in the one preseason game has has has given me a confidence that that he can he can lead this football team. And I'm excited. I'm thrilled that this is a you know, an opportunity for him, it's an opportunity for our organization and our team. And and uh,

you know, we're we're we're going full steam ahead. So I feel I feel fully confident that that we'll be able to get the job done with any young quarterback. You're you're more comfortable, you know, letting him sit for a year and get acclimated and learn the offense and take it slow. UM. I mean, this seems like a major philosophical change. What changed in your guys by with Carson?

All the trade happened, and and um, you know, we were fortunate to get some draft picks back that that we that we gave up for the trade for Carson, and and it was it was right for this football team. And uh, you know, it's something that that we believe in. Um, I believe in. Uh, this is why we we drafted him. Um and would would would the ideal situation be later than sooner? Sure, but but right now where we are, UM, you know, we got a good football team around him.

We got a great defense, special teams, good offensive line, good runners. So all the pieces are here for him to be successful and for us to win win some games. How did he move? Why not Chase Daniel? You know, for for a reason. And Chase is a team guy. And Chase is uh, um, the guy that I wanted to to to be, to be in this role, to be in this position. Um, you know, Chase, Chase has done everything I've asked him to do. He's an unselfish ball player. He leads by example on and off the

football field. He's been a great mentor to to to Carson and even when Sam was here as far as teaching this offense, and and knowing that, um, you know, Chases is the number two gives you a lot of confidence, just much like it was in Kansas City as him being our number two behind Alex and and uh, it's it's great to have another set eyes on the field for Carson and and I feel I feel real comfortable

with with where we are with these two guys. Did you reference what happened to you in nineteen ninety nine with now you know? And I listen, I didn't. I didn't go back that far. I mean, I just this is this is what I believe in. This is this is what as an organization, this is what we believe in. And and you know, I'm I'm gosh, I can't wait till Wednesday. I can't wait till you know, we get we get the uh to Sunday. But um, you know, I'm very comfortable with with where we are as a

football team with Carson being the starter. This is why we drafted him. He's ready to go. He'll prepare and study all week just like just like I know he will and and uh, um get ready for Sunday locker room or any of the players in the locker room I did. Um, guys, guys were excited, you know, guys are guys are excited for Carson. You know, I'm obviously uh when when you lose, when you lose your quarterback in SAM, I mean, it can be it can be

mixed emotions. But but the guys were one hundred percent behind it and and thrilled that, uh you know, um, that Carson's going to be the guy. They've seen him day in and day out like we've seen him, and they know he can be a special, special player in this league. And and they've embraced it and supporting him a hundred percent. Are you play with just two quarterbacks? Are you going to bring in some of these practice? Well, obviously going into the going into the season, you'd like

to have three. Obviously two are usually active on a game day, So obviously we're there, But but we're we're looking, you know right now, Um, if we can find that and feel that third spot potentially a practice squad kid, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Did Carson take any reps with the first game or the first time it was because it open? Where are you going? Did Carson take any reps with the first

team over? He had not. Now, he had taken some center quarterback exchange reps with Jason in the past because we do that prior to practice, so he's done that. But other than uh, and he can listen now, he's he's worked with all our receivers because we've rotated our receivers throughout the training camp, and he just this will be the first time that he's gone with the with the starting offensive line. How quickly just Carson's mindset and

have to change. It was a week ago We're talk about them missing the last preseason game, possibly not playing the entire year. I mean, it's it's tough. But here's the thing. He's such a special guy that that this doesn't bother him. The stage is not that big and

and and he he can handle he can handle this. Um. That's why, that's why making this decision is very comforting for me, and and and really easy easy to make h just knowing him and knowing how he prepares, and knowing, you know, knowing what he's done in the past, and and this guy is a proven winner. He's he's he's proved it all the way all the way up through college and and uh and fully expect him to do the same thing at this level. Well, you know, if

if I were chased, I'd probably be a little disappointed. Um. Uh. And I would hope so I coming from a head coach, I would hope that he because it just shows his emotion. It just shows the passion that he has for the UH, for the for the position, and for this team and for playing and UH. But again, Chase is such a

he's the ultimate team guy. UM that that you know, he understands the decision, he understands where we're going in the direction, and he's going to do everything he can to not only get himself ready, but to help the starterse certain Carson that it's his job. Don't look over your shoulder. There's gonna be bumps in the road and things are not going to come easy all the time, and you know, but you're our guy for the long for sure, for sure, because I want to I want

to exude that confidence in him. I don't want him looking over his shoulder at all. Um. You know, we take this thing one day at a time, one game at the time, and uh and hopefully we can string strength and wins together. And and we know, we understand there's gonna be some bumps, but at the same time, we're gonna learn from those. And I don't want him looking over his shoulder. During the summer where the switch just flipped and you just said this guy, Carson Waynes

could be our starting quarterback. Wayne, was that? You know, I look back to rookie mini camp when we first landed him here and he had a chance to really kind of compete at that time with that that rookie camp and OTAs and and just watching him in person throw the ball. Um. You know, the zone read game, the the you know, the the run pass option things, that we've done in the in the spring and training camp and just kind of some of the wild factor

throws that he makes from unconventional positions. You just kind of go, all right, this guy, this guy is going to be special and um and we saw that throughout throughout training camp practices, you know, making making some of those unique plays. But it kind of for me went back to that first rookie mini camp when I first laid eyes on him in those competitive situations, look at some of the reckless or risky plays that he had in that game, and talk to him about taking care

of his body. He understands at it, and sure, we've we've got to We've got to address that with him with any quarterback UM going forward. But UM, I don't want to take that aggression away from from any player, especially the quarterback position. That that kind of makes him special. But at the same time, he has to understand that

he needs to protect himself in those situations. We will look back on on that Tampa game and and look at some of the plays that that some of those were designed designed read option runs, some of them where um, you know, he can do some things better in protection and things like that, and just just get him caught up and cut and coached up. And and again, he's such a smart guy. I keep saying this, but I see it day in and day out in and a sharp learner that that he makes the mistake once he

can move on from it. And uhum, but yeah, we'll we'll keep coaching him up that way. But again, I don't want to take that aggression from him with Sam, like this is obviously what he wanted back in the spring, but he had no idea what was going to happen. Now. Was he shocked? You know what was what was it like talking to Sam and I had a great conversation. I spoke to him right away. I reassured him, and I wanted him to understand that that he needed to hear it from me, h than than reading it or

seeing on TV or in the papers. And and he was very appreciative of everything. Um. You know, he and I sort of started this journey together way back in February, even even before he was signed. And and you know, I wanted him as my starting quarterback and I wanted him here on the team. And so we had a little different relationship than than maybe what he's had in the past. So he was very appreciative of everything that I did and and he listened. He was he was

He's playing at a at an all time level. He's stronger physically, he's throwing the ball more accurately, and um, and just wished him the best of luck. Bob. Were you in the trade, well, UM, definitely involved from a conversation standpoint, and and UM, you know there's some things too that that uh, you know, we had to we had to look at every we had to look at everything.

We had to look at Carson obviously, Chase, we had to look at Sam, what we were receiving, UM, And and I wanted to make sure that it was right for the Philadelphia Eagle. So so I was involved that way. Could you have seen coursing a scenario where Carson could have overtaken Sam as a starter lady season? Probably not going into the game one. It just depends on how how Sam was playing, how the team was going, and

where we were at the time. But but I didn't I didn't foresee any um at the time, UM, any change you know at the position. Well, you know number one, what felt like that that Carson's ready to go, and and you know the fact that that Minnesota UM wanted Sam Bradford, and and it makes a difference on what we were receiving in in in return. UM. You know, we got to look at the big picture and the scope of of what we want to do, and and I think it was it's it's a great UM, it's

a great opportunity for both organizations at all. I challenge the team this morning that that that you know, we we come to work every single day, we roll our sleeves up and we go to work, that the expectation level doesn't change. We expect and I expect them to compete and compete at a high level and win football games. That's our job, that's what we get paid to do. So UM, I don't expect anything less. Parson wasn't ready to go. I mean, you had Chase, would you still

on the trade if he wasn't ready to go? You'd have to look at the injury and just just sort

of see where he was at at the time. It it'd be probably harder to make the make that decision, but because then you'd really be down to one quarterback at the time, you know, UM, And so you'd have to just take a look and factor in the whole injury and where where Carson is at, Like he wasn't really ready bent only to start the season if he just felt like he needed more seasoning and even if he was healthy, but you just felt like he was ready to be a starter. Yet Yeah, you know you could.

You still got to look at the big picture and you got to look at the whole organization. And we can do things offensively. I say, we franking myself, we can. We can put game plans together that keep it that keep it simple for the quarterback and allow him to go out and use his use his talent and and uh, you know, we'd have to consider that going forward, but we're just you know, we're a little further down the road with him. Um, and he can handle a lot

more information than than than that that scenario. A lot of quarterbacks in recent years have been able to start as rookies on day one and had success, Guys like Luck and Flack on that Ryan and Um, did you look at that. This that's not something that really happened in the league until last ten years, maybe with Rafflesberger started. Did you look at that? Yeah, and what do you think that is? And was that factor. And you're thinking, I think you gotta I think again, it goes to

the big picture of the organization and the team. You played great defense and great special teams and and you got all the pieces. You got a good offensive line, a good running game, and and and you can you can protect guys. And that's what those guys did back early in their careers with the Roethlisbergers and the Flaccos

and the Ryans and quarterbacks like that. I mean, look at Jameis Winston even last year, the success he had later on in his in his rookie career, and and so you can there's there's a definitely uh um, a blueprint there um. And that's that's kind of the approach that we're going to take here doing the same same types of things. Alan Barberie is going back to left card and then lane right now, you know, until I hear something further uh lane, Lane's went right tackle this

being for the future, your first year head coach. When you hear about it at first, is it difficult for you to accept knowing the wins and losses won't be the same with this situation? You know, I just approach it each day and and my goal is to try to win this first football game and to win this week, and and and again, I can't. I can't speculate and

put up put up prediction on wins and losses. I mean, you know, um Roethlisberger, those guys were in the AFC championship games or their first couple of seasons, so who knows, who knows what can happen. I just know that I'm going to coach the guys that we have hard. I'm gonna make sure that they're ready and prepared. That's my job. And and uh, you know, we just take them one at a time. Yes, yes, well you know, we'll see, we're gonna we're gonna, you know, look at look at

what's out there. If it's a young guy that we could maybe put on practice squad, we'll do that too. Small Small wod is good. He was out there today. He's he's okay. The only one not out there was Viny Curry because the injury last week, so he was the only one that wasn't there. But he's day to day and and uh you know, we'll we'll monitor him again on Wednesday. Okay, thanks guys, appreciate it. H