Eagles’ Carson Wentz spent the offseason emphasizing diet, nutrition to ‘hopefully add years’ to career
Kale chips instead of potato chips won’t keep the Eagles' QB from tearing his ACL again, but emulating Tom Brady when it comes to food and sleep isn't a bad idea.
Carson Wentz decided to make a notable change this offseason, and it has nothing to do with passing or running or sliding.
The Eagles quarterback, who is listed at 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, has made changes to his diet and in his focus on nutrition. He has also sought different training techniques.
“I’ve tried transforming my body a little bit this offseason,” Wentz said this week. “I’ve seen a lot of development there personally. I think it’ll help going forward staying healthy and with longevity.”
Wentz refused to delve into specifics and wouldn’t say what he’s eating (or not eating) that’s different now from when he first came into the league.
“Maybe I’ll write a book about it someday,” Wentz said, alluding to Tom Brady’s bestseller, The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance.
Brady, the six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, famously indulges in avocado ice cream and maintains a strict diet focused on anti-inflammatory foods. Wentz did not reveal whether he’s adopted such a strict regimen, but he mentioned Brady as an athlete who has found a method that works.
“Nutrition and diet and sleep are a big part of it,” Wentz said. “So for me, that’s something I’ve really been looking at this offseason, too. I think you’ll see benefits and hopefully add years to your career.”
» EAGLES PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS: Carson Wentz looks sharp; Injury updates; Big V gets time at guard; DeSean Jackson is back
Wentz said he doesn’t worry about weight; he believes he maintains a healthy weight. But he said he feels good, strong, and quick. He did not say what or who motivated him to make this a priority, acknowledging only that he has seen other players do it and that his curiosity was piqued.
Wentz wants to discover every advantage possible to get healthy and remain healthy. He’s had three major injuries since coming to Philadelphia in 2016: a hairline fracture in his ribs in August 2016 that caused him to miss the preseason; a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in December 2017 that kept him out of the Eagles’ Super Bowl run, the entire 2018 preseason, and the first two games of the 2018 season; and a stress fracture in his back in December 2018 that caused him to miss three regular-season games and two postseason games. He has recovered from that injury.
» READ MORE: Babies named Carson jumped 151 percent in 3 years. You can thank the Eagles.
Kale chips instead of potato chips won’t keep Wentz from tearing his ACL again, but there’s a reason the Eagles facility has made changes to promote nutrition and recovery in recent years -- from creating a smoothie bar outside the locker room to signs throughout the cafeteria educating players on the food they’re eating.
When asked about the emphasis some players, including Brady, have put on flexibility rather than muscle mass, Wentz said his stretching routine will look different and his training has been adjusted. (Wentz would not offer specifics about these changes, either.)
Wentz said he has already seen the benefits. Time will tell how or if it will help him. But considering his injury history and the high-level quarterbacks who are playing deep into their 30s and even their 40s, it’s worthwhile for Wentz to already begin thinking about his career longevity. That has become the focus of his offseason – even at age 26.
“It’s something after this season I was like, how can I not only get healthy, get past this, but also be a healthier individual going forward for my career?” Wentz said. “So I just dove into it.”