Skip to content
Eagles
Link copied to clipboard

Carson Wentz gets mixed reaction for his response to Las Vegas shooting

Carson Wentz caused a bit of a stir on social media Monday, angering some Eagles fans after invoking Jesus following a deadly shooting in Las Vegas.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz speaks after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz speaks after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers.Read moreJae C. Hong / AP

In the wake of a deadly shooting in Las Vegas, sports figures from Philadelphia and across the country have begun to weigh in on an attack that claimed the lives of more than 50 people and injured hundreds more.

Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, coming off a strong performance during Philadelphia's 26-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, invoked his faith in the wake of the massacre.

"So much hate and evil. So sad. The World needs Jesus in a bad way," Wentz wrote on Twitter Monday morning. "Praying for all those affected in Vegas."

Reactions to Wentz's comments on the shooting were decidedly mixed. Many fans thanked the devout Christian for invoking religion in the aftermath of such a tragedy.

Others criticized Wentz for not calling for more substantive measures in the wake of the shooting.

Other Eagles brought up prayer in the wake of the deadly shooting. Wide receiver Rodney McLeod, long snapper Rick Lovato, wide receiver Torrey Smith and tight end Zach Ertz posted messages on Twitter offering prayers for the victims, but did not appear to receive the backlash that Wentz garnered.

In remarks at the White House late Monday morning, President Trump also offered prayers to the victims.

"Scripture teaches us, 'The lord is close to the broken hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit,'" Trump said, quoting verse 18 of Psalm 34. "Receive comfort from those words, for we know God lives in the hearts of those who breathe."

In an interview with my colleague Jeff McLane last month, Wentz was candid about using his platform to spread God's word, despite knowing that being vocal about his faith could be a divisive issue for some fans.

"You're always walking that fine line, without a doubt," Wentz said. "I always tell people, for example, 'If you love your job, you love your wife, you love what you do, you're going to talk about it. Well, I love Jesus.' That's what I love, so I'm going to talk about it. But I'm not going to force it down your throat either."

Of course, Wentz isn't the first Eagles player to be criticized for invoking religion. Former quarterback Tim Tebow, an outspoken Christian who wrote Biblical verses on the black patches he wore under his eyes, quickly became one of the most polarizing figures in sports after starring in an anti-abortion commercial that was broadcast during Super Bowl XLIV.

Other Eagles, including defensive end Chris Long and running back Donnell Pumphrey, commented on the massacre without mentioning religion or prayer.