EGAN, Minn. — Carson Wentz's painful career as quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings is over.
Wentz will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the left shoulder injury he originally suffered while filling in for injured starter JJ McCarthy on Oct. 5.
McCarthy is expected to return to the starting lineup when the Vikings take on the Detroit Lions on Sunday. With Wentz on injured reserve, undrafted rookie Max Brosmer is the only quarterback currently on the roster.
Free agent Desmond Reed spent three weeks on the roster earlier this season. Brett Rypien served as the Vikings' No. 3 quarterback last season and was waived after training camp and is now on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad.
Carson Wentz said after the Vikings' loss to the Chargers last Thursday night that it was “probably” the most painful he's ever experienced in a football game. Jevon Moore/Icon Sportswire
The 32-year-old Wentz made NFL history this season, starting at least one game for his sixth different team in the past six seasons. The Vikings signed him on Aug. 24 as McCarthy's backup after trading away Sam Howell, and he entered the lineup in Week 3 as McCarthy returned from a high right ankle sprain.
In five starts, Wentz led the Vikings to a 2-3 record. But he suffered the injury after taking three hard hits in the first half of Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns in London, the last of which came from linebacker Carson Schweizer. He missed a dunk, then wore a safety belt around his shoulder in the second half and completed all nine passes on a fourth-quarter go-ahead run that led to a 21-17 win.
Wentz rested his shoulder during the ensuing bye before starting the Vikings' 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7. But a short week before last Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers limited his recovery time, and he was visibly sore throughout the 37-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Wentz said after the game that it was “probably” the most painful he's ever experienced in a football game. In addition to the harness, the Vikings medical staff fitted him with several other protective suits, and Wentz said he never wore “anything even remotely close” while playing. He was 15-of-27 for 144 yards, a touchdown and an interception, while being sacked five times.
Wentz threw his helmet to the bench on a fourth-down incompletion in the fourth quarter, later apologizing to the team's equipment staff and covering his face with a towel.
“Pain is pain,” Wentz said. “I feel like I can still help this team and find a way to score points and stuff like that. So, we knew going into the game that that was going to be a part of the game. Again, that's the tough part of Thursday night's game. [You] There just wasn't a chance to recover, but that's not an excuse in any way. “
Coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game that he had been talking to Wentz and the team's medical staff but never thought he would need to be replaced until the game couldn't be played. Since McCarthy was designated as the emergency quarterback, by rule, the first option was Brosmer.
Brosmer didn't take the field until 1:56 left in the game.
“Carson is an experienced player,” O’Connell said, “and he understands some of our situations. [Thursday night]. I think it's very difficult for a rookie to go out there and make his first performance and have to endure that a little bit for the team. “
The Vikings used Wentz's roster spot to sign tight end Ben Sims, who was in training camp through 2023 and was recently waived by the Green Bay Packers. Veteran backup Josh Oliver injured his foot Thursday night and did not appear at Vikings practice Monday.