Tag: Eric Weddle

Former Ravens S Tony Jefferson retiring from NFL, joining Baltimore in new role

Former Baltimore Ravens safety Tony Jefferson is retiring from the NFL.

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The Baltimore Ravens have had a lot of great safeties over the course of their franchise history. Players such as Rod Woodson, Ed Reed, Eric Weddle and others come to mind, with other contributors at the position also stepping up in a big way both on and off of the field.

One of the more beloved players in team history is former Baltimore safety Tony Jefferson. On Thursday, it was reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN and later confirmed by the Ravens that Jefferson will be stepping away from playing in the NFL after nine seasons, but will be returning to Baltimore to take on a scouting role within the organization.

The veteran was paired with Weddle to form a great tandem for the Ravens.  Unfortunate injuries were a part of his story in Baltimore, but he’ll now take the next step in his football career in the team’s front office.

Best Chargers draft pick by year since 2000

Taking a look at the best draft pick by each year for the Chargers over the past couple of decades.

The Chargers have seen a slew of top players roll through the franchise over the past couple of decades.

With the draft just a month away, let’s take a look at the best picks for the Bolts since 2000:

Melvin Gordon pulled an Eric Weddle and won a Super Bowl as a late Chiefs roster add

Life is good for Melvin Gordon.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Melvin Gordon was living the good life after his team beat the Philadelphia Eagles and won Super Bowl 57 on Sunday.

Consider his season trajectory. Gordon started the year on the hapless Denver Broncos. He rushed for 318 yards and 2 touchdowns to go along with 223 yards in the air in 10 games this past fall.

Denver was one of those teams few people wanted to be a part of this season, which is part of why Gordon getting waived after a fumble by the Broncos in November wound up working out in his favor.

Gordon signed with Kansas City’s practice squad in late November and now gets to celebrate a Super Bowl victory.

You could say Gordon pulled an Eric Weddle. The two were teammates for a year in San Diego with the Chargers and eventually found greener pastures. Weddle unretired last January for the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl run.

It’s impressive to win a Super Bowl without having to play a down for the team you won it with, but for Gordon, it’s all the same.

He’s had an impressive career in his own right, and now he gets to add a Lombardi to his list of accomplishments.

DJ Reader, Bengals fans pounce on Eric Weddle after brutal playoff prediction

Everyone hit up Eric Weddle to let him know how wrong he was.

Cincinnati Bengals players and fans have found plenty of outside things to focus on for extra motivation as they make another deep playoff run.

Former NFL pro Eric Weddle is one of those.

Weddle appeared on a show during the week before the divisional round of the playoffs and said the Bengals had no chance at beating the Buffalo Bills.

They did have a chance, of course, and actually went on the road in the snow and dominated all four quarters in a 27-10 triumph to advance to their second straight AFC title game.

Understandably, Weddle was a topic of conversation after the game, with DJ Reader, Andrew Whitworth and others letting him know about the big whiff on the prediction.

Eric Weddle helping Giants safety Xavier McKinney grow as a play-caller

New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale leaned on Eric Weddle this offseason to help Xavier McKinney grow as a signal caller.

Over the first three days of training camp practice, one glaring change has stood out for Wink Martindale’s New York Giants defense: safety Xavier McKinney calling some plays.

Traditionally, NFL teams have a middle linebacker or inside linebacker relay the play call. However, with Blake Martinez still working his way back from a torn ACL, it’s McKinney’s helmet that sports the green dot.

Head coach Brian Daboll acknowledged as much on Friday and even said that he had McKinney call some of the defensive plays himself.

“I think signal callers, X and Daniel (Jones), they’re relaying plays in at times to the players. Just put them on the other end of it, I think there’s some friendly competition fire there and the guys get a kick out of it,” Daboll told reporters.

The team took an added step when it came to McKinney calling the plays, setting him up with retired safety Eric Weddle this offseason.

“I actually talked to Eric Weddle a couple times during the offseason. He helped me a lot actually with just kind of how to disguise certain things and how to be on the same page with Wink, and things like that,” McKinney said. “We had good convo. He really helped me out in terms of looking at film, studying film, how he did it when he had Wink, so he was really helpful. That’s what I mean by still trying to learn it and get stuff down pat.”

Weddle, of course, called plays for Martindale during his time with the Baltimore Ravens and the defensive coordinator figured he could impart some wisdom on the Giants’ third-year safety.

To further prepare both McKinney and Jones, Daboll had the headsets of Martindale and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka cut off at times. It forced both to adjust on the fly and lead their respective units without the aid of a coach.

“We’ll have the walkie talkies or headsets out there for our players and there will be times — and I did it in the spring — where I will purposely cut them off on Wink and Kafta because it could happen in a game like that and now they have to take control and be able to operate and not panic and all the hand gestures,” Daboll said. “Just go out and make sure you have a play all in mind and be able to lead the team.”

McKinney, who made and relayed calls at Alabama, likes the added responsibility.

“It was cool,” McKinney said, admitting he could have made better calls. “It was fun, though.”

It’ll be interesting to see how the Giants handle communication once Martinez is back in full, but early indications are that the job will belong to McKinney.

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Giants call upon Eric Weddle to help Xavier McKinney with green-dot duties

The Giants called upon former Rams safety Eric Weddle to help Xavier McKinney get a grasp of wearing the green dot

Eric Weddle is one of the smartest safeties to ever suit up in the NFL, which was on full display with the Chargers, Ravens and Rams. There’s no better example of his football intelligence than what he accomplished last postseason with the Rams, though.

He came out of nearly a two-year retirement and not only played well on defense during the playoffs, but he became a full-time starter and was the defensive signal caller in the Super Bowl.

The green dot is typically reserved for middle linebackers, but more and more safeties have taken on that role lately – and Xavier McKinney is doing that for the Giants. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale put McKinney in touch with Weddle to help him learn what goes into that job, using the former Rams safety to help the young Giants defender.

Weddle is a perfect person for a young safety to learn from, not only when it comes to relaying play calls, but seeing the field, breaking on the ball and understanding what the offense is trying to do.

McKinney is in good hands with Weddle helping him out.

New Ravens S Marcus Williams shares what Eric Weddle told him about Baltimore

New Ravens safety Marcus Williams explained what former safety Eric Weddle told him about the organization

The Baltimore Ravens signed safety Marcus Williams to a five-year, $70 million contract in the early stages of free agency. He brings his ballhawking and hard-hitting abilities to the team, who have been missing a true center field presence in their secondary since safety Earl Thomas III departed.

Williams had his introductory press conference with the media, and was asked if he had a relationship with former Baltimore safety Eric Weddle, who went to the University of Utah, the same as Williams. The Ravens’ new star said that Weddle texted him about the Baltimore organization and had nothing but great things to say.

“Man, Eric [Weddle] is definitely somebody I’ve watched a lot. He texted me the other day, and he was like, this is one of the best organizations he’s played with. He said it’s definitely somewhere I want to be, it’s somewhere that’s going to help elevate my game, because I have a lot more to do. I’m barely getting started in my game right now, and I feel like I haven’t even reached my full potential. So, I feel like here is going to help elevate my game way more, and I’ll be able to do a lot more here with the help of the coaches.”

Former Ravens S Eric Weddle to become high school football coach

Former Ravens safety Eric Weddle will be the head coach for Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego at the end of the 2022 season

Former Baltimore Ravens safety Eric Weddle has had an impressive few months. He made a surprise return to the NFL when he came out of retirement in January to help the Los Angeles Rams pursue and win a Lombardi Trophy. After confetti fell on the field at SoFi Stadium, Weddle went back into retirement. However, the longtime defensive back will return to the game of football, just not for an NFL team or as a player.

On Saturday, Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego announced via Facebook that Weddle would replace head coach Tristan McCoy at the conclusion of the 2022 season.

This isn’t Weddle’s first-time mentoring the high school squad. Weddle had been working as an assistant for the Rancho Bernardo’s 12-and-under team.

Weddle played for the then San Diego Chargers for eight seasons before coming to Baltimore in 2016. He would then go to the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 before retiring at the end of the year.

Eric Weddle to become head coach of HS football team in San Diego

Eric Weddle is heading back into retirement after winning a ring, but he’ll stay busy as a high school football coach

Eric Weddle confirmed after Super Bowl LVI that he’s “re-retiring,” once again leaving the NFL after winning a ring with the Rams. But he has another opportunity already in the works that will allow him to stay around football.

Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego announced on Facebook that Weddle will take over the football program as their next head coach. The current coach will hand the reins to Weddle after the 2022 season, allowing the former Rams safety to lead the team.

Coach McCoy will remain with the team and help Weddle get acclimated as he enters this next chapter of his football career.

During his first retirement, Weddle was coaching youth football, but taking over a football program is a big step up and an awesome opportunity for the Super Bowl champion.

His knowledge of the game is incredible, going from being retired to relaying the defensive plays in the Super Bowl in a span of about a month. There’s no doubt he’ll make an excellent high school coach, and his players should be excited about the chance to learn from one of the game’s smartest players.

Fresh off Super Bowl, Eric Weddle named head coach at California HS

Eric Weddle will take over as the head coach at Rancho Bernardo High School in California in 2023.

Eric Weddle unretired last month to go after a Super Bowl with the Rams. His former team needed him due to injuries at safety and he stepped seamlessly into the back end of the secondary, playing an instrumental role in Los Angeles hoisting a Lombardi Trophy.

With his goal of winning a ring now checked off, Weddle has his sights set on the next chapter of his football career — coaching at the high school level. The five-time All-Pro was named the head coach at Rancho Bernardo High School in California and will take over in 2023 after the retirement of head coach Tristan McCoy.

Weddle will join McCoy’s coaching staff in 2022 before becoming head coach. McCoy is planning on remaining a member of Weddle’s coaching staff after he takes the reigns.

McCoy has gone 72-52 in 11 seasons at Rancho Bernardo after arriving at the school in 2011. He led the Broncos to a CIF D3-A State Championship in 2015.

Weddle is the latest ex-NFL star to become a high school football head coach. Former Chargers and Colts quarterback Phillip Rivers took over as the head coach at St. Michael Catholic High School in Alabama this past season and led the program to a 6-3 record.

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