NFL Notes: A.J. McCarron, Dan Snyder, Carson Wentz

A.J. McCarron

Free-agent QB A.J. McCarron feels great and is hoping to get another shot at returning to the NFL. He tore his ACL during the preseason last year with the Falcons and missed the season. 

“I feel great,” McCarron said, via AL.com. “I was blessed to have a great team around me with Dr. (Lyle) Cane, our doctor at Alabama, and Kevin Wilk, who I did a bunch of my rehab with. I got cleared at four-and-a-half months out from surgery, so I’ve just been working on the strength and getting everything back normal, and I really feel great right now. You never know what your future holds, what it is in this game, so I’m just ready, waiting for a call. But right now, I’m enjoying my time off and being able to be a dad and being around my three boys for the first time in a while.”

While McCarron believes he still has the ability to impact a game with his abilities, he is keen to taking on a leadership role within a team’s quarterback room.

“I think I can always play,” McCarron said. “I’ve never questioned that. But I think if you ask anybody that’s been in the QB room with me, I’ve also been a fantastic teammate. Listen, whether it’s teaching a young guy or being there for an older guy, I love being a part of the room. I feel like I’m a good personality, great teammate and good energy to have around. But it’s also not my call, so I’m just sitting here enjoying being a dad and waiting on that phone call if it does happen.”

Dan Snyder

• According to ESPN’s Tisha Thompson, Commanders owner Dan Snyder has not accepted the subpoena issued by the U.S. House Oversight Committee. It was sent by email but declined. 
• A spokesperson for Snyder claimed there was a scheduling conflict: “Mr. Snyder has not refused to appear for a deposition. The Committee offered only one date — June 30 — and Mr. Snyder’s attorney is out of the country and unavailable on that date. Mr. Snyder’s lawyer has provided alternative dates to the Committee and looks forward to finding a path forward for Mr. Snyder’s further cooperation and to address remaining due process concerns.” 
• A spokesperson for the committee responded: “While the Committee has been, and remains, willing to consider reasonable accommodations requested by witnesses, we will not tolerate attempts to evade service of a duly authorized subpoena or seek special treatment not afforded to other witnesses who testified in this matter.”
• Dave Rapallo, the Democratic staff director of the House Oversight Committee from 2011 to 2021, said Snyder’s options are to comply with the subpoena and give a deposition to the committee, plead the Fifth Amendment which protects against self-incrimination, or sue in federal court to challenge the subpoena.
• Rapallo added the committee could hold Snyder in contempt if he does not accept or comply with the subpoena.

Carson Wentz

Commanders QB Carson Wentz is happy to have a fresh start in Washington and hopes to remain with the franchise for the foreseeable future. 

“I’d like nothing more than to play here for a long time and have a lot of success,” Wentz said, via John Keim of ESPN. “Everything’s changed. You mature a little bit, you see the world a little bit differently. So, I’m always trying to learn and just build and grow as good of relationships as I can with everybody, both sides of the ball, coaches, equipment staff, and training staff. I’m gonna make mistakes. I’ll be the first to admit it. And so [I’m] always trying to grow and be self-reflective and be a better person.”

Wentz can’t completely outrun his history, as evidenced when he came under fire from Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman. “This is probably his last opportunity, just being blunt about it, to prove that he can be a franchise quarterback in the NFL,” Aikman said in back in May. Wentz responded two weeks later but didn’t seem pressed by Aikman’s comments.

“I didn’t know that was said,” Wentz said. “I’m fine with it. Everyone’s got their own opinion. I don’t try to put too much pressure on myself. I always have high expectations for myself and for the offense, but I don’t try and play those types of games. I don’t have enough mental space to kind of process all that, and it can wear on you.”