Eric Weddle capped his career with something he had not achieved: a Super Bowl win.
Weddle had not played a snap of football for two years after retiring in February of 2020. However, he came out of retirement this postseason to fill in for an injury-riddled Rams secondary.
Weddle, who started in the final two games of the postseason, recorded five tackles in the Super Bowl while playing through a torn pec that he sustained in the first quarter.
When thanking all the teams he played for during his 13-year career, Weddle mentioned Chargers general manager Tom Telesco, feeling disrespected but motivated when the team didn’t re-sign him after the 2015 season.
“I want to thank the Chargers for drafting me and I also want to thank old Tom Telesco for the way things ended there, and showing me the light, and giving me that motivation and that fire,” Weddle said.
“The way things ended there, I appreciated that and I always said that Eric Weddle will get the last laugh, and I’m a world champion right now.”
During nine seasons with the Bolts, Weddle was featured in three Pro Bowl appearances and two first-team All-Pro selections. He racked up 847 tackles and 19 interceptions and scored four defensive touchdowns.
Despite the accolades and production, the writing was on the wall with the Chargers’ feelings towards him in his final season.
Weddle was fined $10,000 for watching his daughter perform at halftime of a game, then placed on injured reserve before the end of the season, preventing him from playing in what would be his final game with the teams.
Weddle went on to join the Ravens in 2016. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his three seasons. In 2019, Weddle was released and signed a deal with the Rams.
Now with a Super Bowl ring and still despise towards the team that drafted him, Weddle confirmed postgame that he’s heading back into retirement.