Former Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle hasn’t been shy about his disdain for the Los Angeles Chargers. But when asked about his former teammate and friend Philip Rivers’ future, Weddle didn’t hesitate to take another swipe at the Chargers.
When initially let go by the Chargers after the 2015 season, Weddle spoke openly about his awful experiences at the end of his tenure with the team. From being fined $10,000 for staying on the field to watch his daughter perform in a halftime show to being told he had a lot of mileage in the final year of his contract and wasn’t a Hall of Fame-caliber player by general manager Tom Telesco, Weddle told Bleacher Report’s Dan Pompei a handful of stories that don’t paint a good picture of the Chargers.
Now retired, Weddle spoke to NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano about what he thought Rivers should do since the Chargers are letting him leave as a free agent this offseason. Weddle said he hoped Rivers would continue playing and go to a team that appreciates him.
"Leaving San Diego made me realize what other teams are like."
Eric Weddle says he wants his former teammate Philip Rivers to keep playing.@nflnetwork #NFLNow pic.twitter.com/DGPddiHWS6
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) February 10, 2020
Like before, Weddle didn’t mince words or hide his criticism of the organization here either. Weddle continued on to say the grass is greener on the other side in this case and that he felt joining Baltimore is what put his career back on track.
“When I went to Baltimore and L.A., it sparked my career for the second chapter and I was grateful for that. Leaving San Diego made me realize what other teams were like.”
Though Weddle’s quote was meant as a slight against the Chargers, it does highlight how well respected the Ravens have been. They’re well known for taking care of their own players when possible and being straight forward when they make a decision. Most former players, Bernard Pollard excluded, have spoken highly of Baltimore and their family mindset.
With free agency creeping closer, it’s a good reminder the Ravens could be in the mix for top pending free agents even though they’re in the bottom third of the league in available salary-cap space, thanks largely to the respect the organization has garnered over the years.
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