Wentz is cool about playing through pain
CARSON WENTZ is ready to play with a fractured back in an attempt to save Philadelphia’s season.
The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles desperately need a win at home against Houston tonight (Sky Sports Action, 9pm) if they are to keep alive their chances of making it to next month’s play-offs.
Nick Foles took over at quarterback last week for Philly, with head coach
Doug Pederson believing Wentz’s season was finished by the injury.
But Wentz has told Pederson (right) he is ready to go if the team need him.
Pederson said: “Does he want to play through it? I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but I think as an athlete who has an injury this time of year, if it’s not going to set them back, then, yeah, I would say everybody wants to play through injury.
“We have to make sure they’re 100 per cent — that’s kind of been our philosophy around here - before we stick them back out there.”
With two games left in the regular season, the Eagles have won seven and lost seven, and their hopes hang by a thread of still playing come January.
But despite the rough season following last year’s romp to glory, Wentz handed out Christmas presents on Friday to the nine offensive linemen whose job it is to protect him.
Each of them arrived at practice to discover a $500 Yeti Tundra 110 cooler waiting for them as a festive thank you.
The three-feet long ice boxes were stuffed full of goodies, making a bit of a ch change from las last year’s p present from
Wentz, when he b bought ea each of them a rifle rifl and then took them shooting.
Lineman Lane Johnson said: “He gives me a cooler I can put some ice-cold beer in. There’s really nothing better you could do. I’m happy. It’s probably the best gift that I’ve got.
“It puts the icing on the cake. We know what he does. We realise what we do for him. It’s just a sign of endearment. We appreciate it, I can tell you.”