If Eric Weddle has taught us anything recently, it’s keep your phone close. Retired or not, you never know who might call.
More than content to live the life of stay-at-home dad, Weddle had his routine down to a science. Work out, shuttle kids around — shuttle that same lot around some more, before coaching a youth football team at night. Rinse, cycle, repeat. It was the perfect post-retirement plan for a guy ready to make up for lost time, and with those he loved the most.
Turns out, the Rams didn’t skip a beat, earning the NFCs three-seed going into the 2021 postseason. Led by the likes of Aaron Donald, the Los Angeles defense was already stout; but just like with any team, injuries can creep up in any number of spaces, and for them it was in their defensive backfield at the worst possible time.
I made that up. Obviously I wasn’t privy to the unsuspecting call, but I can see the conversation going something like that. Against San Francisco a week late, with the conference crown on the line, Weddle took another steep leap in the right direction. All of a sudden Weddle was not only starting at free safety, but leading the club in tackles.