Carson Wentz was mic’d up for the Eagles’ close win over the Giants on Sunday. As the team waited to see if rookie kicker Jake Elliott could hit the 61-yarder the team needed to pull it off, Wentz made a bold statement.
“I’ll freaking give him my paycheck,” Wentz says. “I’ll give him my game check.”
We had @cj_wentz mic'd up for #NYGvsPHI and, well, just listen for yourself. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/jEyB1msn1o
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 26, 2017
Elliott did make it, just as he made one to tie things up, 24-24, toward the end of regulation to send it to overtime.
Eagles linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill warned Wentz against it. “He’s made that a bunch of times in practice,” Grugler-Hill says.
But Wentz is emphatic, and will pay Elliott a cool $31,764.
Well that escalated quickly...
— Carson Wentz (@cj_wentz) September 27, 2017
but don't worry, @jake_elliott22 and I got this worked out...
In a nice twist, Elliott and Wentz decided to donate the money:
Elliott says Wentz texted him video wit game check quote. Elliott said he wouldn’t accept, and they decided to donate some $$ to charity
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) September 27, 2017
NFL players are paid their base salaries over 17 weeks — the 16-week season and the bye week — and that’s what Wentz’s breaks down to with his base salary of $540,000 this season.
That’s not the only fun thing about Wentz’s time on the mic. After Elliott’s kick goes through the uprights, the Eagles celebrate. The whole team swarms Elliott on the field, and everyone’s understandably excited. But Wentz keeps his celebration family-friendly.
“You son of a gun,” he yells.
When I talked to Carson in camp, he made fun of me for cursing. ... This explains it. He didn't even say a bad word in a crazy celebration. https://t.co/T9gscYL6FQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 26, 2017
Elliott’s salary is $465,000 per year. So if Wentz really does pony up, that’s a pretty nice little bonus for Elliott.