Carson Wentz Appreciating Bonding Time with Vikings Team, Beauty of Surroundings

Oct 01, 2025 at 01:44 PM

Craig Peters

Senior Editor

WARE, Hertfordshire, England — Carson Wentz has appeared in 100 NFL regular-season games and started 96.

That's quite a few formal mid-week press conferences for a quarterback in different types of settings.

On Wednesday, the veteran allowed himself a moment to appreciate the architectural beauty of a greenhouse-style room set up for press conferences at Hanbury Manor.

"This may be the most beautiful…" he said quietly before stepping up to the podium and fielding a variety of questions to recap his second start in Purple in the NFL's first regular-season game in Dublin and this Sunday's game against the Browns at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Vikings are the NFL's first team to play back-to-back International Series games in two different countries and as the road team in each contest.

The travel party boarded buses in the heart of boisterous Dublin mid-day Monday and arrived in the UK that afternoon. Asked what he's thought of this unique transition, Wentz said, "it's been a lot of fun."

"It's different. It kind of breaks up the monotony of a season, all those things," Wentz said. "I think it's gorgeous out here at a really cool property. Obviously, I miss my family, so that's different. But at the same time, you're getting to bond with a new family, so to speak, and do some different things."

Ware, one of Europe's longest permanently occupied communities, is a town of about 20,000 people nestled north of the hustle and bustle of London. On Tuesday, which was the players' off-day (as is custom during Sunday-to-Sunday weeks stateside), some made the trek to London, but Wentz opted for Ware.

He enjoyed some coffee and got a haircut before joining teammates for a ride around the on-property golf course, a bonding experience helping the QB connect with the squad since he didn't arrive in Minnesota until after training camp.

"Then took care of the body, which is super nice to be able to rejuvenate, refresh," said Wentz, also describing a sun-splashed day with an ideal 60 degrees Fahrenheit/15 degrees Celsius as "perfect." "Being able just to be outside has been, has been a lot of fun."

Wentz will make his third start in place of injured first-year starter J.J. McCarthy at a time when the Vikings are continuing to navigate injuries across the offensive line. He could be taking snaps from his third different center in as many weeks.

The injuries up front contributed to Wentz being sacked six times and hit 14 total times in Week 4 against Pittsburgh.

Facing a tough Cleveland defense this week, Wentz is looking forward to build off Minnesota's showing in the fourth quarter last week during a rally that nearly forced overtime.

Receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison each topped 100 yards for the second time together last week. It was their first game together of 2025.

"Justin is as good as it gets. Everybody in the world knows that," Wentz said. "Having Jordan out there last week was pretty fun, too. Obviously, we had the big one late (an 81-yard reception by Addison), but even during the week, you could just see from the little bit of getting work with him, I mean, he's pretty special, too. And so that makes my job easier, having those guys out there.

"And we have a ton of depth in that in that room, as well, from Adam [Thielen] to Jalen Nailor, "Speedy," we call him, and on down the list. And so guys show up in that room in a big way, and those two leading the way, leading the charge, has been a lot of fun in the brief time I've been here."