Five recent revenge games involving someone on Washington's side originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
For Carson Wentz in 2022, revenge will be a dish that’s best served in sizable portions on three separate days in the fall.
The Commanders quarterback is set to see the Eagles at FedEx Field in Week 3, visit the Colts in Indianapolis in Week 8 and then make his return to Philadelphia in Week 10 for a Monday night showdown. Those two squads are his former employers in the NFL and both dumped him without much hesitation, meaning Wentz will surely want to take it to them on the field (even if he’s currently trying to play it cool).
Long before those matchups kick off, though, here’s a recap of some recent revenge games involving members of Washington squaring off with their ex-teams, beginning with a guy whom Wentz will soon be able to relate to when it comes to facing Philly…
DeSean Jackson — Week 3 at the Eagles in 2014
Here’s a statement that feels pretty unassailable: If your jersey is sent right to the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio after your performance, then odds are you had yourself a decent little performance.
That’s precisely what happened for Jackson following his first appearance at Lincoln Financial Field as a non-Eagle, thanks to an 81-yard touchdown grab he snagged in an eventual 37-34 loss. With that long-distance score, Jackson became the third player in history to record a touchdown of at least 80 yards for and against a single franchise.
Weirdly enough, Jackson would ultimately don an Eagles uniform again and go on to log a pair of end zone trips versus the Burgundy and Gold in the 2019 regular-season opener, proving that he could light up the scoreboard no matter which side of this particular NFC East rivalry he was on.
Josh Norman — Week 15 vs. the Panthers in 2016
Norman might’ve been new to the area in 2016, but in his first reunion with the Panthers, he quickly got used to a depressing habit: Losing on Monday night.
While he wasn’t the primary culprit for Washington in this slip-up — a turnover-prone Kirk Cousins deserves that distinction — Norman was in on an ugly coverage botch that produced an easy Cam Newton touchdown throw.
A couple of years later, Norman redeemed himself; in Week 6 of 2018, he picked off a floating Newton pass and also stripped DJ Moore for a fumble, and those two forced turnovers were key as Washington won in a tight one, 23-17.
Ultimately, that second retaliation might’ve been the best outing for Norman while he was with Washington, which was probably satisfying for him yet also speaks to how unsatisfying his time was with the team.
Landon Collins — Week 4 at the Giants in 2019
Of the five people mentioned in this story, Collins easily had the most miserable revenge game of the bunch. Actually, this tilt with the Giants should merely be labeled a game, since there was no revenge to be had for the high-priced safety.
On the afternoon at MetLife Stadium, Collins tallied two solo tackles, watched Jabrill Peppers generate a pick-six while wearing his old New York jersey and then got into a scuffle once the 24-3 loss concluded:
Collins sadly had to wade through an additional three losses before, at last, experiencing a victory over the Giants early on in the 2021 campaign. He was on injured reserve, meanwhile, for Washington’s other — and completely inconsequential — 2021 triumph over its division foe.
Adrian Peterson — Week 8 at the Vikings in 2019
Peterson’s jaunt to Minnesota in 2019 wasn’t his first contest there after his lengthy run with the Vikings — that came in 2017 when he was a part of the Saints, which was a weird and fruitless experiment for all — but he still was greeted like a hero.
Plus, unlike when he was with New Orleans, he actually factored into this 19-9 dud, as he carried the ball 14 times for 76 yards and tacked on two receptions for 27 yards. His stat line also included a thunderous, extended ovation at the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter.
Peterson, by the way, wasn’t the only piece of Washington’s roster to re-enter US Bank Stadium.
Case Keenum, who has played in approximately 35 revenge games as a pro, had the opportunity to compete with the Vikings on that Thursday night, too. Keenum went 12-of-16 as the starting quarterback before a concussion prematurely ended his evening.
Ron Rivera — Week 11 at the Panthers in 2021
Rivera and an enormous chunk of the then-Football Team staff had to wait a season and a half before a date with the Panthers at their old stomping grounds emerged — they ran into their old outfit in 2020, but that one was in Landover — and that delay proved to be worth it.
Fueled by three Taylor Heinicke touchdowns and clutch defensive stops late in the action, Rivera and Co. left Bank of America Stadium very pleased with the result.
Now, all attention turns to the upcoming preseason bout between these two clubs in August. Will Rivera get a double-dose of gratification, or will Carolina strike back? That answer simply can’t come soon enough.