On June 5th, 2023, the National Football Foundation released its 2024 College Football Hall of Fame ballot. Out of over 5 million athletes to ever play the sport, only 1,074 have met the mark and achieved CFB Hall of Fame honors.
This year, two of the University of Utah’s most accomplished athletes have a chance to enshrine their names among college football’s best. Both Alex Smith (2002-2004) and Eric Weddle (2003-2006) are a part of the 2024 class aiming to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. While Smith’s repertoire speaks for itself and solidifies him as one of, if not the most successful Utah football quarterback of all time, Weddle, the hard-hitting, long-bearded and greatly respected safety who’s journey to NFL stardom began with humble roots.
At College
A 2-star high-school prospect out of Alta Loma High School in Southern California, Weddle wasn’t expected to make a seismic impact on Utah football’s early 2000s trajectory.
In a 2022 interview with KSL Sports, current Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham reminisced about Weddle’s recruiting process, saying, “Well, in fairness, I was the one who was able to see him firsthand because when you just look at him, he looks like 1,000 other football players from Southern California, 5’11, 190 pounds, nothing special there.”
While not yet the head coach of Utah’s football team during Weddle’s recruiting, then-defensive coordinator Whittingham was able to look past Weddle’s low ranking and convince head coach Urban Meyer that a four-sport, multi-tool player could be of benefit to Utah’s program. Luckily for Whittingham, who took over head coaching reins in 2005, any optimism about the player Weddle could become on Utah’s team, became true.
As a five-tool player for the Utes, Weddle played just about every position in the secondary for the team. On the defensive side, he finished his career with 277 tackles, nine forced fumbles with six recoveries and two returned for touchdowns, 18 interceptions (3 TDs), and 23 pass breakups. Weddle’s 18 interceptions set an all-time Mountain West Conference record. Furthermore, in addition to his defensive exploits, Weddle also had six offensive touchdowns as a defender playing offense for the Utes.
As a result of his feats on the field, Weddle achieved several honors throughout his tenure as a Ute. Namely, he was a two-time Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006, four-time all-MW conference selection, freshman All-American in 2003 and consensus All-American in 2006.
In the NFL
After a historic playing career with the Utes, Weddle managed to solidify himself as a top NFL prospect. In April 2007, his life would change forever. The former San Diego Chargers traded four draft picks to move up and select the All-American standout at pick 37.
“It was just a fortunate event. They gave away some picks for me,” said Weddle in a 2007 interview with the Deseret News. “They believe in me, and I’m not going to let them down. I’m excited for the opportunity to go out and play for them.”
A man of his word, Weddle managed to make good on his promise — and then some. Weddle’s playing career with the Chargers lasted a total of nine seasons and included 3 Pro Bowls and two first-team All-Pro honors. As a member of the team, Weddle only missed seven games in nine seasons, totaling over 650 solo tackles, 19 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns.
Despite a painful end to his time in San Diego, Weddle cemented himself as one of the franchise’s greatest defensive players ever. A formidable brick wall to any offensive opponent that met him on the gridiron, Weddle ended his tenure with the Chargers the same way he ended his career at Utah — indisputably dominant.
On March 14, 2016, Weddle’s Twitter account shared a tweet with the message, “RAVEN BOUND!!!!!!!!!!” This tweet, along with a four-year $29 million contract from the Baltimore Ravens, would beckon a new era of Weddle’s career.
As a Raven, Weddle played at the same high level he had throughout his entire career. In three seasons with the team, he never missed a regular season game and made the Pro Bowl in each season.
The final chapter of Weddle’s NFL career is a truly unique story that can be separated into two parts.
In 2019, Weddle would play his “final” season under the lights as a part of the Los Angeles Rams. An ironman his entire career, Weddle once again managed to play a full season without missing a single game, but ultimately decided to retire from football after the year.
Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show in early 2020, Weddle commented, “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. … 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 teammates and coaches 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.”
And so the all-time great safety’s career was over — or so it seemed.
In late 2021, almost two years after his last season of professional football, a 37-year-old Weddle received a call from Raheem Morris, the defensive coordinator of the Rams. Amid his retirement, Weddle was asked to come back to the NFL. The Rams’ wanted Weddle on the roster for their looming playoff run. With little hesitation and no pressure of lofty expectations, Weddle grabbed his pads and returned to the gridiron.
What would happen next, no one could’ve predicted.
Weddle played in all four of the Rams’ playoff games, starting two. The final game of the run was the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
Despite Weddle tearing his right pectoral in the game, he delivered a storybook finish to a storybook career, playing 61 defensive snaps and winning his first, and long-deserved Super Bowl ring.
Life After Football
Weddle’s playing career in the NFL ended after his 2022 Super Bowl victory, this time for good. With things all said and done, Weddle ended his career as a member of the NFL’s all-decade team, one of the league’s most elite honors. An almost-guaranteed lock for the NFL Hall of Fame now that he’s eligible, Weddle’s grit and determination on the field will be remembered by many, especially those who had the unfortunate luck to be tackled by him on the field.
As Weddle’s time playing the game of football came to an end, he swiftly made the adjustment to coaching the game and currently serves as the head coach of Rancho Bernardo High School’s football team.
As his life and career show, Weddle was a fierce competitor on the field. Whether with the U, the Chargers, the Ravens or the Rams, Weddle impacted how spectators and evaluators perceive the game of football. The Utes are fortunate to have such an impactful alumni who speaks so highly of the program.
“Every opportunity matters, and when something doesn’t go right, move on, move on to the next play, the next snap, the next game, because you owe it to your players, and the players owe it to everybody else — to their teammates — that you meet each other halfway,” said Weddle in a 2022 interview with KSL about what he has learned from the Utah program and NFL, “If you meet each other halfway and do your part, special things can happen. I’ve experienced that firsthand.”