2012 SD Chargers Media Guide_PROOF.P - Seahawks Online ...

32 ERIC WEDDLEFree Safety Draft 2 - ’075-11, 200 Utah6th NFL SeasonAlta Loma HS6th with ChargersAlta Loma, Calif.VETERANS &RETURNING PLAYERSWhen the Chargers signed Eric Weddle to a new fiveyearcontract before the 2011 season, a number of criticsquestioned the team’s decision to offer one of the topcontracts for a safety who had yet to earn Pro Bowl status.It didn’t take long for Weddle and the Chargers to provethe naysayers wrong as he helped clinch two early-seasonback-to-back wins with late fourth-quarter interceptionson his way to a Pro Bowl season in which he tied for theNFL lead with a career-high seven picks. And it wasn’t justPro Bowl accolades that Weddle earned, as a slew of All-Pro accolades followed, accompanied by his selection asthe Chargers’ Defensive Player of the Year.Weddle’s 2011 season got off to a fast start. In Week 3against Kansas City, he sealed the Chargers’ 20-17 winwith a pick with 55 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Aweek later with the Miami Dolphins in town, Weddle did itagain, picking off Chad Henne with 2:53 left and theChargers up 26-16. He became just the third Chargersdefender in the last 20 years to collect game-clinchingfourth-quarter interceptions in back-to-back games. Weddlewas the secondary’s leading tackler for the fourthstraightseason in 2011 as he collected 93 tackles, whilehis eight passes defensed ranked second on the unit.In 2010, Weddle was named second-team All-Pro by theAssociated Press after anchoring a secondary that rankedfirst in the NFL in pass defense. The Chargers ranked 31stamong the NFL’s 32 teams in pass defense in 2008, Weddle’sfirst season as a starter, but it improved to 11th in2009 before leading the league in ’10.As a first-year starter in 2008, Weddle made an immedi-ate impact. He started all 16 games, ranked second on theteam in total tackles, just one behind the team leader, andhe set a team record with an 86-yard fumble return for atouchdown. Though he didn’t start as a rookie in 2007,Weddle was part of a secondary that led the NFL with 30interceptions. He capped off his first professional seasonwith a key goal-line interception off Peyton Manning in aChargers’ Divisional Playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts.Weddle grew up in Alta Loma, about an hour north ofSan Diego. His family are long-time Chargers fans.Weddle and his high school sweetheart, Chanel, were marriedin La Jolla in July 2005. They have two daughters, BrooklynMarie and Silver Jean, and a son, Gaige. They wed beforeEric’s junior season at Utah and lived near Utah State inOgden where Chanel went to school and played soccer forthe Aggies. Eric commuted nearly an hour each way to SaltLake City where the University of Utah is located for schooland football.A special education major, Weddle tutored studentswith learning disabilities. He made regular visits to Utah’sPrimary Children’s Hospital, spoke to children at schoolsand youth correctional facilities, and volunteered with theSalt Lake City Food Bank. In June 2011, Weddle returnedto Salt Lake to host his first Eric Weddle Football Camp.Miami Dolphins defensive back and former Ute teammate,Sean Smith, assisted Weddle with the three-day camp.Weddle is an avid golfer who plays to a seven or eighthandicap and bowls once or twice a week, averaging in the170s. Other hobbies include baseball, basketball andwatching movies.TRANSACTION HISTORY: Second-round pick (37), April 28,2007...signed four-year contract, July 24, 2007...signed newfive-year contract, July 30, 2011.2011: Pro Bowl starter...first-team All-Pro by AssociatedPress, Pro Football Weekly & the Professional FootballWriters of America (PFW/PFWA), Sporting News andSports Illustrated...Chargers’ David Griggs MemorialAward as Defensive Player of Year...USA Football All-Fundamentals Team pick...game-clinching interception with55 seconds left in fourth-quarter of 20-17 win over KansasCity Sept. 25...week later, intercepted Miami’s Chad Hennewith 2:53 left in final quarter to preserve 26-16 victory...goallineinterception off New York Jets’ Mark Sanchez Oct. 23...career-high two picks off KC’s Matt Cassel in ESPN MondayNight Football game Oct. 31 at Arrowhead Stadium...firstpick set up field goal and second took place late in fourthquarter to send game to overtime...Monday Night Footballinterception Dec. 5 in Jacksonville led to touchdown thatgave Bolts’ 24-14 lead...picked off seventh pass of seasonleading to TD and 13-0 lead in Dec. 11 win overBuffalo...game-high two interceptions with 90 yards inreturns, including 63-yarder for AFC in 2012 Pro Bowl atHonolulu’s Aloha Stadium... broke up game-high three passesand tied for second on AFC with five stops...first pick in thirdquarter off Cam Newton set up field goal that gave AFC 31-28 lead...second came off Newton in fourth quarter...after27-yard return, lateraled to Kansas City’s Derrick Johnsonwho took it final 60 yards for touchdown and 59-35 lead forAFC. 2010: Second-team Associated Press All-Pro...touchdownsaving pass defensed in end zone during 29-23 win atHouston Nov. 7...Game Ball after 41-yard interception returntouchdown off Peyton Manning and two deep passesdefensed vs. Reggie Wayne in 36-14 win at Indianapolis Nov.28...tied career-high with 12 tackles Dec. 26 at Cincinnati.2009: Game Ball after first-career interception return touchdown(31 yards) Sept. 27 vs. Miami for 23-6 lead...Game Ballfollowing Dec. 25 win at Tennessee to clinch AFC No. 2 seedfor playoffs...late third quarter interception off Vince Youngand helped force punt on next series with two-yard tackle forloss vs. NFL’s leading rusher, Chris Johnson. 2008: Teamrecord86-yard fumble return touchdown Week 12 vs.Atlanta…season-high 12 tackles in pivotal Week 15 win atTampa Bay and in AFC West clinching win over Denver Dec.28…team-high three passes defensed and shared fourthquartertackle for loss in Jan. 5 Wild Card vs. Indy…sackamong 11 tackles in Jan. 11 Divisional Playoffs at Pittsburgh.2007: Series of big 3rd-down plays in first half of first-careergame vs. Chicago…third-down tackle for loss, two quarterbackpressures and sack on consecutive series...first-careerinterception to seal 35-10 win over Houston Oct. 28…onehandedinterception prevented touchdown in third quarterMEDIA GUIDE | 114