NFL fans harshly slam Super Bowl-winning quarterback for 'barbaric' hunting photos of a bear, football players show support



An NFL quarterback who hunted a black bear in Alaska and shared photos online was hit with a wave of criticism.

Carson Wentz, who is a free agent after being released by the Washington Commanders in February, shared photos on Instagram from a recent hunting trip in Alaska. Of the five photos posted on the social media platform on Friday, three of them featured Wentz with a dead black bear that he shot and killed with a bow and arrow.

The former Super Bowl-winning quarterback captioned the photos: "Got the opportunity to spot and stalk black bear in one of our new favorite places on earth— Alaska! Incredible trip and an incredible animal!"

(WARNING: Sensitive images)

There was a barrage of backlash to the photos of the hunted bear.

One person commented, "Such an incredible animal you felt you needed to shoot it and pose with it's corpse."

An Instagram user said, "What is this barbaric nonsense? Unfollow this clown."

Someone said, "Hope next time the bear wins and you lay down."

One person wrote, "This is incredibly gross. Hunting is such an outdated and ridiculous 'sport.' I guess because you couldn’t hack it at a real sport, you have to resort to a sport in which your opponent doesn’t have a weapon but you do. Lol. Pathetic behavior."

However, there were many who defended Wentz, including several NFL players.

Wentz's former Commander’s teammate Taylor Heinicke wrote, "Holy s**t man! Need a taste of em.'"

Kamu Grugier-Hill, linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, said: "That’s FIRE!"

Michael Pittman Jr., wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts, said: "Nice bear."

Luke Rhodes, long snapper for the Indianapolis Colts, said: "Awesome."

Former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler wrote, "Well done. Congrats."

An Instagram user said, "Lmfao, all these people butt hurting from these while eating their fast food burgers made from animals treated with absolute disrespect and cruelty."

Someone said, "Assuming he did this legally, hunting IS conservation. Bears don’t get killed like this unless the state has allowed them to. Leave the man alone and let him recreate. Has nothing to do with his faith or being a 'Christ follower.'"

Another supporter of Wentz wrote, "Why don’t you tree huggers get a life? Bear need to be harvested same as any other game species to sustain a healthy population. Black bear is also very good table fare if processed and cooked properly. Just because he has money doesn’t mean he shouldn’t enjoy his harvest. You same people who bash this have probably never been to a slaughterhouse or actually seen an animal die from starvation, disease, etc.. Mother Nature is far more cruel. The money paid for this license is used for habitat and conservation. Hunters do more for that than any of you uneducated ramblers."

Hunting for black bears is legal in Alaska as long as the hunter acquired a license.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game notes, "Black bears are the most abundant and widely distributed of the three species of North American bears. An estimated 100,000 black bears inhabit Alaska."

The International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, a "critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity," said American black bears are of "least concern" in regards to being endangered.

Wentz and his brother Zach Wentz have an Instagram and YouTube account dedicated to hunting. Wentz Bros Outdoors shares photos and videos of the Wentz brothers going on hunting trips. The duo have hunted turkeys, geese, ducks, and deer.

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Christian NFL quarterback got blasted for poor play, even smeared as 'bad teammate.' But rookie QB lauds him as 'unbelievable human being' after quiet, 'classy' gift.



NFL quarterback Carson Wentz made a serious case as the Most Valuable Player during the Philadelphia Eagles' magical season five years ago.

But Wentz suffered a season-ending knee injury late that year — and then watched backup Nick Foles shock the sports world by leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

Things haven't been the same for Wentz since.

He endured further injuries, being benched, a trade to the Indianapolis Colts, and then just a season later, a trade to the Washington Commanders. In that time, Wentz has been ripped constantly for poor play — but far worse, he's been accused repeatedly of being a "bad teammate," not only when he was with the Eagles but also during his stint with the Colts. One writer even accused Wentz of being the recipient of white privilege.

None of this can possibly sit well with Wentz, who's an outspoken and committed Christian. Unfortunately, things this season have been much the same: another injury, another benching, and then heaps of blame for the Commanders missing the playoffs.

But amid what may have been the lowest of low points this season, Wentz quietly did something that shows by many accounts that he's not only a good teammate but also that he possesses a ton of class.

'He's just an unbelievable human being'

Wentz watched from the sidelines as rookie quarterback Sam Howell made his first NFL start Sunday and promptly led the Commanders to a victory over the heavily favored Dallas Cowboys. According to Howell, Wentz gave him his suite at the Commanders' stadium so Howell's family could enjoy the game all the more:

\u201cSam Howell had his family in town for his debut. Carson Wentz gave Howell his suite for the occassion.\u201d
— Ben Standig (@Ben Standig) 1673228081

"I know a lot of people have said some negative things about Carson, but he's just an unbelievable human being, and he's just awesome to be around, and for him to give me his suite for my first start means a lot," Howell said.

Here's what a few others had to say about Wentz's move:

  • "Regardless of how things ended up on the field, Carson Wentz was an excellent teammate," Commanders Wire tweeted.
  • "Classy Carson," MLFootball tweeted.
  • "Sam Howell’s family and friends were sitting in Carson Wentz’s suite at FedEx Field Sunday," another commenter said. "Scorned and criticized by fans, Wentz rose above it to do a good thing for his teammate."
  • "Never seen an NFL player navigate a gauntlet of injury, regime change, and disrespect the way [Wentz] has and still carry themselves with absolute class," another user observed.
  • "Carson Wentz is and has been nothing but class," another commenter noted.
  • "Even though things didn’t go well here for Wentz, I will always support him because of the class he showed," another user said.

Here's a post with some photographic evidence that takes a satirical shot at Wentz's critics. Content warning: Language

\u201cSolid showing from Howell. But look in background. There\u2019s terrible teammate Carson Wentz being very unsupportive of the rookie QB. He\u2019s even smacking his hands together aggressively. How selfish. \n\nDude can\u2019t play QB anymore, but the bad guy bad teammate narrative is bullshit.\u201d
— Papa Jack (@Papa Jack) 1673284663

And more kudos from a college basketball coach:

\u201cCharacter, class, and professionalism.\n\nRookie Sam Howell (QB3) starts and scores a touchdown for the Commanders.\n\nBefore he can get to the sideline he is greeted with huge smiles, high fives and love from teammates including QB2 Taylor Heinicke and QB1 Carson Wentz.\u201d
— Craig Doty (@Craig Doty) 1673230479

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Couch: The Indianapolis Colts could set COVID example for the rest of sports



Carson Wentz is feeling the pressure. Coming off a terrible year, he's the new quarterback and hope of the Indianapolis Colts. If that's not enough, Wentz is being bullied into a COVID vaccine he doesn't want. By not getting it, though, he knows he could hurt his team.

"It keeps me up at night," he said.

Wentz's personal struggle led columnist Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star to write that he was known as a selfish player before coming to the Colts and that his anti-vax stance proves it. If the Colts would release Wentz now, Doyel wrote, "I'd help pack his bags. Where does he live? Because he'll need a ride to the airport."

Doyel is bullying Wentz and therefore the Colts. Wentz needed the support of his teammates, and it appears that the quarterback of the defense, linebacker Darius Leonard, stepped up and defended him Thursday. Leonard, who also has been vilified in social media and local media as a me-first anti-vaxxer, talked about his reasons for not getting the shot.

"I'm just a down South guy," he said. "I want to see more. I want to learn more. I want to get more educated about it. Just got to think about it. Don't want to rush into it. I've got to see everything. I'm listening to all the vaccinated guys here. I'm not — you see on social media — I'm not pro-vax. I'm not anti-vax …

"I think once I get a grasp of it — just like the playbook — you've got to get comfortable with something. You can say, 'OK, I'm going to put this in my body.'"

We might be seeing a breakthrough in the debate about the NFL's COVID vaccine crisis, though. And by that, I mean that the Colts might be starting a public debate about it rather than what we've seen so far, which is vaxxers barking at their moon and anti-vaxxers barking at theirs.

We don't recognize actual thinking on this topic, don't grasp nuance or lack of absolute certainty. No one asks the questions. No one offers the answers.

Leonard is an example of what big-name football players should be doing. That might be what's going on with the Colts and could lead to a healthy discussion about the vaccination.

The pressure to be jabbed has created a new minority: Unvaxxed Americans.

They don't have a voice. And the media were supposed to speak for the voiceless. Instead, they are bullying them on a highly personal subject. That's not about agreeing with the unvaxxed, but just recognizing their right to be heard. That's America. It's what has made America the envy of the world.

The Colts have what is believed to be the lowest vaccination rate in the NFL. General manager Chris Ballard told reporters they are at roughly 75%. Meanwhile, NFL protocols — approved by the Players Association — are much more stringent on unvaccinated players than on vaccinated ones. That has turned the Colts' preseason into an absolute mess and threatens to jeopardize a team that figures to contend for the AFC South title.

It's not as if Leonard shed incredible amounts of light into his decision-making process and what he sees as the pros or cons of the jab. What stood out was his willingness to stand up and talk about it at all.

The players' union, the media, and the social media mob have all been on the attack on players who don't want the vaccine. The pressure is working, as most players are getting it anyway.

Those who don't get it, though, are endangering their teams' seasons because they could endure strict penalties and longer time sitting out on the COVID-19 list. That's why coaches and general managers are factoring vaccine status into roster cuts.

If the players believe the protocols are too strict or that the players' union shouldn't have accepted them — or even that people shouldn't vilify players for not wanting the jab — then the star players will have to be the ones to stand up and say so. They are the players at less risk of being cut because they haven't been vaccinated.

"When you don't know about something, you've got to educate yourself more about it and figure out what it is, and you've got to make a decision from there," Leonard said. "You've got to make sure you understand your decision and understand what's going in your body and the long-term effects and stuff like that."

The Colts are on the margins here, with a low vaccine rate, a contending but not dominant team, and a quarterback who still needs to prove he's NFL-capable.

Wentz, the most important player on the team, said this week that his decision on the vaccine is a "fluid situation. I'm weighing every pro and con out there. The media are attacking without listening, barking at the moon."

Selfishness was not the knock on Wentz last year. He couldn't stay healthy in Philadelphia and didn't connect personally with his receivers.

Whispers of selfishness as a player don't match up with someone making health decisions, anyway. There's nothing wrong with being selfish about your personal health. We need to hear more of what Wentz has to say, what he's thinking. That will take guts on his part, though.

The Colts exemplify exactly how the protocols could ruin a season. Offensive tackle Eric Fisher got COVID, and because he had been in contact with All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson, Nelson went on the reserve/COVID-19 list. It is believed that Nelson's contact with Wentz and players Ryan Kelly and Zach Pascal led to those players going on the list and sitting out, too.

You can see how this can spread fast. What if all of that happened the week of a big game? Or going into the playoffs?

The players have to decide whether to take a jab they don't want to put in their bodies or risk hurting their teams and feeling pressure from mob rule. Meanwhile, their own union isn't standing up for them.

Leonard stood up and at least started the discussion. Others need to follow.