Eric Weddle re-retires after Rams win Super Bowl LVI

It’s been quite the month for Eric Weddle. Faced with defensive problems going into the post-season, Rams coach Sean McVay opted to offer the free safety a short-term deal to rejoin the team. Weddle returned to the Rams on 12 January after retiring two years earlier and four weeks later, the 37-year-old is retiring again with a Super Bowl victory to his name.

"Yes, I'm re-retiring," told a post-match press conference. "I'll go back to my daily life. Pretty banged up right now, but hey, it's well worth it. Well worth the moment."

Weddle was expected to only feature for the Rams at the tail-end of the 2021 season and played in all four of the team’s post-season wins, making a total of 18 combined tackles. He also participated in 190 defensive plays for the Rams and, according to NFL.com, was active on every defensive play in the Super Bowl.

Gaining a first Super Bowl ring caps a long career for Weddle, who was named to the Pro Bowl six times, and was honored as an All-Pro five times. A second-round pick for the Chargers in 2007, Weddle spent nine seasons in San Diego before being traded to the Ravens in 2016 and later to the Rams, where he played a single season before retiring in 2020.

Weddle agreed to come back for the playoffs to try and add the one thing his career lacked and, on a balmy night in Los Angeles, he played through a torn pectoral to achieve his dream. “I have a lot of time to recover. World champs, man,” he concluded.