Eric Weddle Eric Steven Weddle ( born January 4 , 1985 ) is an American football safety for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for the University of Utah , and was recognized as an All - American . A second - round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft , he has played professionally for the Chargers since 2007 . He currently resides in Escondido , California . He is considered to be one of the best safeties in the NFL . Early years . Weddle was born in Fontana , California . He grew up in Alta Loma , California , and attended local Alta Loma High School . At Alta Loma High , he lettered in football , basketball , and baseball . In football , he was a three - time all - league selection and a two - time All - CIF selection . Weddle added first - team all - area accolades from the " Los Angeles Times " and the " Inland Valley Daily Bulletin " . A second - team All - Southern Section honoree , he also received all - region honors from Rivals . com and " Student Sport Magazine " . He was named the team ' s best receiver and most valuable player as a senior . The team captain had 129 tackles , five interceptions , four forced fumbles and five recovered fumbles on defense , adding 587 yards rushing , 22 touchdowns , 965 yards passing and five scoring tosses as a senior . He led Alta Loma High to the 2000 Mt . Baldy League championship . College career . Weddle enrolled in the University of Utah , where he played for the Utah Utes football team from 2003 to 2006 . He was immediately put into action in 2003 , starting his last nine games at right cornerback . He earned Freshman All - American first - team and All - Mountain West Conference honorable mention . He posted 60 tackles ( 29 solos ) with four sacks , four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery . He deflected four passes and intercepted another while also carrying the ball once ( minus 6 yards ) . In 2004 , Weddle shifted to strong safety , starting eleven games . Despite sitting out the Arizona clash with a right knee sprain , he ranked third on the team with 75 tackles ( 47 solos ) . He added one sack , 4 . 5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and a forced fumble . He advanced a fumble recovery 31 yards , batted away five passes and intercepted four others . He also averaged 10 . 5 yards on 20 punt returns . Weddle earned Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year , first - team All - MWC , second - team All - American and Emerald Bowl Defensive MVP honors in 2005 . He started all twelve games , lining up at strong safety in five contests , at left cornerback in four and as a nickel back in three others . He ranked third on the team with 78 tackles ( 49 solos ) and second with eleven stops for losses . He had four sacks , three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery . He led the conference with sixteen passes defensed ( 12 break - ups , 4 interceptions ) . He punted twice for 46 yards , attempted two passes and averaged 6 . 4 yards on 24 punt returns . He also rushed seven times for 35 yards and one touchdown . In 2006 , Weddle was a consensus All - American and unanimous All - MWC first - team choice . He was again named the conference ’ s Defensive Player of the Year . He started the team ’ s first two games at strong safety before shifting to left cornerback and closed out the season as the nickel back . He made 64 tackles ( 40 solos ) with a sack , a forced fumble and 2 . 5 stops for losses . He returned one of three fumble recoveries for a touchdown , deflected two passes and ranked eighth in the nation with seven interceptions . He averaged 5 . 5 yards on eight punt returns and completed 2 - of - 4 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown . He also carried 44 times for 203 yards ( 4 . 6 avg ) and five scores . In 48 games at Utah , Weddle started 45 times ( 9 at right cornerback , 12 at left cornerback , 6 at nickel back , 18 at strong safety ) . He recorded 277 tackles , as his 165 solo hits rank sixth in school annals . He produced ten sacks for minus 69 yards and 22 . 5 stops for losses of 108 yards . He set the school career record with nine forced fumbles and ranks sixth with six fumble recoveries , returning two for 66 yards and a touchdown . Weddle is tied for sixth in Utah history with 23 pass deflections and ranks second ( MWC record ) with 18 interceptions for 148 yards ( 8 . 2 avg ) in returns . His three pass thefts returned for touch - downs rank second in school annals . He ranks fifth on the school record books with 52 punt returns , good for 408 yards ( 7 . 8 avg ) . On offense , Weddle rushed 52 times for 259 yards ( 5 . 0 avg ) and six touchdowns . He completed 2 - of - 6 passes for 43 yards , one touchdown and an interception . He recovered an onside kick and also punted twice for 46 yards with a long of 34 . Nearing the end of an electrifying senior year , Doug Robinson of the " Deseret Morning News " wrote an article championing Weddle for the Heisman Trophy based on how valuable he is to the Utah Utes . He wrote , " The only people who spend more time on the field than Weddle each Saturday are referees . Against Air Force two weeks ago , Weddle played every snap on defense and collected eight tackles . On offense , he led the Utes in rushing with 73 yards and scored Utah ' s only two touchdowns . He also served as the holder for the game - winning field goal . He played a total of 90 plays . " Robinson wrote that Fisher DeBerry , Air Force ' s football head coach told Weddle after the game , " They ' re cheating you , son ; they ought to give you two scholarships . " Wyoming coach Joe Glenn said , " He should win the Heisman Trophy . . . I sincerely mean that . " NFL career . 2007 NFL Draft . In the 2007 NFL Draft , the Chargers traded the 62nd pick ( 2nd ) , 93rd pick ( 3rd ) , 167th pick ( 5th ) and a 2008 3rd rounder to the Chicago Bears for the right to move up to the 37th pick and select Weddle . Chicago took Dan Bazuin , Garrett Wolfe and Kevin Payne in 2007 , and Marcus Harrison in 2008 . Despite the price San Diego ended up paying for Weddle , experts still believed he would be of tremendous value to the Chargers . During the 2007 combine , Weddle ran a 1 . 43 10 yard time , tying him with Aundrae Allison and Marcus McCauley for the then fastest split time up to that point . " In a short article by the " Union Tribune " ' s Jay Posner , he quoted NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock as saying , " He will upgrade them athletically in the middle of the field . I like this kid a lot . He ' s an instinctive kid with a nose for the ball . " ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said , " That ' s an awful lot to give up . . . . They ' re telling us they don ' t need all those other draft picks ( because of the talent already on the roster ) . " Charger Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel , Buddy Nix responded , " We ' re not worried about what we gave up ; we ' re worried about what we got . " San Diego Chargers . 2007 . Weddle started the 2007 season as the strong safety behind Clinton Hart . He was also known to be the team ' s dimeback playing in 2nd / 3rd and long situations , along with being the backup holder on special teams . It was speculated that he would be used instead of the current holder Mike Scifres in situations where a fake field goal or extra point attempt would occur as he was a threat to run or throw the ball in those situations . The Chargers led the NFL in takeaways that season with 48 . On October 28 , 2007 , Weddle recorded his first NFL regular season interception against the Houston Texans . Weddle saw plenty of action during his rookie season , playing as the dime safety and finished his rookie season with 48 total tackles , one sack and one interception along with six pass deflections while playing in one of the most talented secondaries in the NFL . 2008 . At the start of the 2008 season , Weddle was officially named the starting free safety alongside Clinton Hart who was signed to a long - term contract extension in the offseason at strong safety . On September 22 , Weddle made his first interception of the season against the New York Jets in a Week 3 Monday Night Football game against quarterback Brett Favre . He finished the season with 127 tackles , one sack , and one interception . 2009 . In 2009 , Weddle had 82 tackles ( 68 solo ) , five TFLs for 14 yards , 1 . 5 sacks , two INTs for 44 yards , one TD , and seven PDs in 13 games . 2010 . Weddle ’ s all - around game improved each year and in 2010 , he received his first all - pro honors when he was selected to the AP ’ s All - Pro second team after the Chargers finished the season ranked first in the NFL in pass defense . Weddle helped turn around a pass defense that just two seasons earlier ranked second - to - last in the league . Within months , the Chargers rewarded Weddle with a new five - year , $ 40 million contract in July 2011 . It was the largest contract ever for a Free Safety which made up for high expectations . 2011 . He had a breakout 2011 season with 88 tackles and a career - high seven interceptions . He helped clinch two early - season back - to - back wins with late fourth - quarter interceptions , becoming just the third Chargers defender to do so in the previous 20 years . It was the beginning of a Pro Bowl season in which Weddle tied for the NFL lead with a career - high seven picks . Weddle was also voted to the Pro Bowl , accompanied by his selection as the Chargers ’ Defensive Player of the Year . Weddle even intercepted two passes in the Pro Bowl , one of which resulted in a touchdown after a lateral , while also breaking up a game - high three passes and tying for second with five tackles en route to a 59 - 41 win by the AFC . 2012 . In 2012 , Weddle was once again playing at an elite level as he was one of the best safeties in the league . He was voted by teammates the Chargers ’ Most Valuable Player , at the end of the 2012 season . Weddle garnered the team ’ s top honor after leading the squad with 111 tackles . He also tacked on first - team All - Pro honors from CBSSports . com and Pro Football Weekly & the Professional Football Writers of America , and second - team All - Pro honors from the Associated Press . 2013 . In 2013 , Weddle again proved himself to be one of the most elite safeties in the league . He was elected to his second Pro Bowl , along with teammate Philip Rivers . He made second - team All - Pro honors for the second year in a row from the Associated Press . Weddle played all 16 Games for the 4th - straight year , collecting 115 tackles , 2 interceptions , 1 sack , 1 forced fumble , 9 passes defended , and 2 fumble recoveries . Weddle also became Chargers defensive player of the year for the 2nd time in his career , also winning the prestigious award in 2011 . Personal life . A Southern California native , Weddle grew up in Alta Loma , 115 miles north of San Diego . He and his wife , Chanel , his former high school sweetheart , married in La Jolla in July 2005 . The couple has three children , daughters , Brooklyn Marie and Silver Jean , and son , Gaige . Weddle is a gym - rat and an avid golfer . He plays basketball and golf several times a week and is a single - digit handicap on the links . He also enjoys bowling and movie nights with his family . Eric and Chanel wed before his junior season at Utah . They lived around Ogden , UT , to be nearer to Utah State University in Logan , UT , where Chanel went to school and played soccer for the Aggies , while Eric commuted nearly an hour each way to Salt Lake City where the University of Utah is located for school and football . Weddle was a special education major at Utah who helped tutor students with learning disabilities . As a professional , he has remained active in the community supporting a number of worthy causes , including breast cancer as his grandmother is a two - time survivor of the disease . Weddle ’ s rise through the NFL was recently chronicled in the book “ No Excuses , No Regrets : The Eric Weddle Story , ” which was written by Trent Toone and published by Shadow Mountain . The book , which tells Weddle ’ s story of overcoming adversity and accomplishing impossible dreams , hit bookshelves in May . Weddle ’ s former coach at the University of Utah , Kyle Wittingham , wrote the foreword .