Eric Weddle likely would’ve gotten the chance to play another season with the Los Angeles Rams in 2020 if he wanted, considering he had one year left on his contract, but the veteran safety decided to retire instead. He made the announcement on Twitter Thursday, calling it a career after 13 NFL seasons and six Pro Bowl selections.
He took one last ride with the Rams in 2019 after being cut by the Ravens last offseason, hoping to capture that elusive Super Bowl ring. It didn’t happen, and while he still had the drive and desire to compete last season, he can’t say the same heading into 2020.
On the “Rich Eisen Show” Friday, Weddle explained his decision to retire, saying he didn’t want to be a player that went out as a backup or after a steep decline.
“I’ve always told myself and told teammates and friends and family that I was not going to be the guy that held on too long – held on that extra year, couldn’t run anymore and ended up getting benched for the young guy. Or the team’s not having success, so they want to go with the young guy. I’ve always told myself that was never going to be the case for me, and playing this past season with L.A. giving me one more chance to live my dream, and I gave it my all.”
Weddle didn’t have his best season by any means, but he was an important leader for the Rams and once again started all 16 games for the 11th time in his career. He fully understood that he probably wouldn’t be a starter in 2020, either, seeing Taylor Rapp and John Johnson as the top two safeties in L.A.
And for Weddle, the thought of preparing for another NFL season wasn’t one that made him feel good.
“Honestly, thinking about getting ready for football, working out, running, going through the pain every single day to get your mind and body ready for a season makes me want to throw up,” he said plainly. “I would much rather be doing 10 other things than doing that. When thinking about that and the past season, and being away from my family for the first time in my career, and battling some injuries that I’ve never had to battle took a toll on me. At the end of the day, I gave it all I got and I’m very content with what I gave to this game and what I gave to my coaches and teammates and my community and everyone that surrounded me and I can move on with a smile on my face and enjoy the next chapter of my life.”
Weddle doesn’t know what’s next for him career-wise, but he said he’s going to take at least a year to be with his family before deciding on what to pursue in his post-football life.