When the Los Angeles Rams suffered injuries to each of their starting safeties in the Week 18 regular-season finale, they were put in a bind with the playoffs quickly approaching.
Meanwhile, the Rams explored an avenue that comes in the form of rare territory.
They called former All-Pro safety Eric Weddle out of retirement following a two-year stint in which he had hung up his cleats. Weddle, 37, swiftly entered the fold as a key figure on the backend of the Rams' defense throughout the team's playoff run in a time of desperation with injuries in the secondary piling up.
After just a handful of days to learn the playbook and get back into the swing of things, Weddle's return against the Arizona Cardinals saw him play just 19 defensive snaps. But more was destined to come from the accomplished veteran.
In the Rams' Divisional Round and Conference Championship game, he's been a driving force alongside Nick Scott, holding down the two safety positions in place of Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp.
Weddle has played over 50 snaps in each of his last two games, including last week's contest against the 49ers in which he played 100% of the Rams' defensive snaps while leading the team with nine tackles in their 20-17 win over San Francisco.
"It's so singular focus because I know this is it, right? This is a chance of a lifetime to be able to be here with these guys and come back," Weddle told AM 570 LA Sports.
Weddle, who was given the free reins to maneuver closer to the line of scrimmage last Sunday at SoFi Stadium, was a key part to the Rams holding the 49ers to just 50 rushing yards.
The 49ers have had a great deal of success running the ball on the Rams for over 135 yards in each time out across their first two meetings earlier this season. While Weddle's run-stopping efforts have provided a refreshing lift to the L.A. run defense, he explained how nice it's been to be able to play free and empty the tank each time out without having to reserve himself for the next season.
"It's amazing to be able to understand that and know that I don't have to save myself for next season, I don't have to save myself for the offseason, I didn't have to save myself for the Super Bowl last week knowing it wasn’t guaranteed, so I was throwing it in there, giving it everything I got," Weddle said. "Because listen, I don't have anything left after this other than going back and doing what I was doing before. After this Super Bowl, I move on and go back to my old life and there will be no comebacks. There will not be playing – another team, another game – no, no, no, no."
With 13 years in the NFL, Weddle has never won a Super Bowl, but that has the chance to change in two weeks when the Rams face the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 3:30 p.m. PT inside SoFi Stadium.
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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.
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