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NEW ORLEANS -- So much has changed for Carson Wentz in the seven years since he was celebrating the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl title. Wentz stood on the field smiling as his team hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy and Nick Foles captured Super Bowl MVP honors, basking in the ultimate what-could-have been-scenario.

"It was definitely bittersweet," Wentz said. "Without a doubt." 

That 2017 season belonged to Wentz, who threw a franchise record 34 touchdown passes and was the MVP frontrunner through 13 games. Everything changed when Wentz injured his knee laying his body on the line trying to score a touchdown in the third quarter against the Los Angeles Rams in December, tearing his ACL and having his season shut down with his team 11-2 and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. 

Of course, Wentz played a few more snaps before being taken out for good. The final one being his 34th touchdown pass of the year before Nick Foles relieved Wentz and took the Eagles on the greatest postseason run in their franchise history. 

Wentz was supposed to be the next franchise quarterback for the next decade, but never was the same player after the injury. He helped lead the Eagles to the playoffs over the next two seasons before things bottomed out in 2020, becoming a journeyman quarterback and playing for four different teams over the next four seasons. 

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Now 32 years old, Wentz's journey has taken him to Kansas City. He's been the No. 2 quarterback for Patrick Mahomes all season, and will be facing the team that drafted him in the Super Bowl. Beating the Eagles is the goal this week (Wentz is on the Chiefs), but there will be no bittersweet feeling towards his former team if the Chiefs prevail. 

There are only positive memories in Philadelphia. 

"It was a lot of fun. Lot of fun," Wentz said. My life changed dramatically there. I got married there, had my first kid there, all that stuff. It didn't end the way I would have preferred, but that's life. That's life, that's just business, all of those things. I have a lot of good memories and relationships there." 

The second year with the Eagles is what Wentz will cherish the most, even if he wasn't the one hoisting up the trophy on stage and getting all the accolades his teammates received. Wentz was the one who put the Eagles in that position, and played a massive role towards that championship.

"That second year was pretty special," Wentz said. "The relationships with all those guys, the team chemistry. It was one of the most fun years of my life. I got married after that year. It was kind of a whirlwind for me. 

"Even though I wasn't playing, to help bring that Super Bowl was pretty special. That's something I'm definitely proud of and I know everyone on that roster is proud of it too." 

Wentz likely won't be up on stage this week hoisting the Lombardi, yet he knows anything can happen in the blink of an eye. He has a new perspective on football and life compared to the last time he was on the Super Bowl stage.

It's made Wentz a better quarterback -- and a better person. 

"I'll be locked in," Wentz said. "I'm one play away, so definitely not taking it for granted. Nine years playing in this game twice? It's hard to do. It's just hard to get here.

"I've grown up a lot as a man, as a father. Lived in a bunch of different cities now. Picked up a lot of different things. Grateful to still be playing though. Grateful to be out here and still playing at a high level."