SAN DIEGO — It has been a whirlwind few months for San Diegan Eric Weddle.
The beloved former San Diego Chargers safety came out of retirement and played a pivotal role in the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl win before re-retiring.
CBS 8’s Eric Kahnert caught up with the 37 year old at his new office: the Rancho Bernardo High School football field.
It comes as no surprise to San Diego Chargers fans who remember watching Weddle and his dazzling plays for nine years. That he is always striving to be the best.
“If you’re not trying to be the best at what you’re doing then what’s the point,” said Weddle.
A six-time pro-bowler and five-time all-pro player, Weddle is arguably one of the best safeties of his generation.
San Diego Chargers
"It all started in San Diego. There’s a reason this is home for us,” said Weddle.
Weddle lives in Poway with his wife, and four children. While his career culminated with a fairy tale ending, there was certainly some drama when he departed San Diego.
“Once you do things to cross me, it’s hard for me to ever come back from that,” said Weddle.
Chargers fans will recall the fallout between Weddle and the team. The team fined him $10,000 for watching his daughter’s cheerleader squad during half time, instead of heading to the locker room.
“It’s one side not communicating, telling lies and making my life as miserable as possible. And me standing up for myself. I don’t live with regrets, I stand up for what I believe is right and they did things not right,” said Weddle.
Weddle moved on, spent three seasons in Baltimore and one with the L.A. Rams, before retiring in 2019.
“I was coaching my son’s team, making breakfasts, doing drop offs. I was totally content and happy,” Weddle said.
WATCH: Full interview with Eric Weddle | From San Diego Charger to Super Bowl champ to Rancho Bernardo coach
Los Angeles Rams
Then, in mid-January, Weddle got a call from the L.A. Rams Defensive Coordinator.
“He says you’re not fat and out of shape are you? I immediately started thinking what’s coming next, here it comes,” Weddle said.
The Rams defensive backs caught the injury bug, so the team asked Weddle if he could be ready for a game in less than a week.
“I was like: ‘Am I really the best option that you guys have? I’m 2 years removed!’ It’s just crazy!,” said Weddle.
Weddle had only been casually working out.
“I would do some treadmill sprints once a week, because I wanted to be better on the basketball court, not for any other reason,” Weddle said laughing.
Weddle immediately called his wife, Chanel, to discuss the wild proposition. “At the very end I said what do you think? And she paused and said: ‘babe if anyone can do it you can,’” said Weddle.
That was the moment, Weddle says, he was all in. He immediately put in 16-hour days at the Rams training facility.
“I put on 9 pounds of muscle and dropped 3% body fat in 8 days,” Weddle vividly recalls.
Superbowl LVI
Weddle went from the Rams’ practice squad, to leading the team in tackles during the Rams’ playoff run. "It wasn’t because I’m a freak athlete. It’s because of the hours and hours I put in to making it happen,” Weddle said.
During the Super Bowl, Weddle suffered a brutal injury to his pec muscle, yet he stayed in the game.
After winning it all, his wife and four kids met him on the field for a special moment. He later announced he was re-retiring.
“I put my life on hold for like five weeks and went on this crazy adventure,” Weddle said with a smirk.
When asked if Disney has reached out to him for the movie rights, Weddle said, “I told my agent we don’t need no movies!”
“Are you ever going to go back to the league?” Kahnert asked him.
“No, there’s zero chance. Listen I had 4 games in me. And I went out on top,” Weddle said.
But he isn’t completely retired. This fall, Weddle will co-coach Rancho Bernardo’s Varsity football team along with current head coach Tristan McCoy. He’ll take over head coaching duties the next season.
Rancho Bernardo High Broncos
“Tristan has built this thing, and his main goal when his time was ready to move in a different direction is to pass it to someone whose going to keep the values and keep the culture,” Weddle said.
So what kind of coach is Coach Weddle?
“I’m cool. calm and collected, but intense and I demand greatness,” Weddle said. Weddle’s “Be the Best” motto won’t change at RBHS. But that iconic beard of his has changed a bit.
“I just trimmed it! I’m becoming the new head coach here, so I’ve got to look respectable. I can’t have a crazy beard all the time,” Weddle said laughing.
As for that crazy journey over the past few weeks, it’s a ride Weddle says he couldn’t have done without San Diego’s support.
“I felt like it wasn’t just me winning it. It was all of us. The team left us, kicked me out, left the city. To come full circle, it wasn’t just me winning the Super Bowl, it was everyone in San Diego and everyone who had my back in my career,” Weddle said.
Surprisingly, Weddle said the San Francisco 49’ers game felt more intense than the Super Bowl. He said the Super Bowl is so much more than just a game. There was a lot of showtime before the kickoff.
“The Rock getting up there for 5 minutes, he’s not talking about anything! We’re sitting there, waiting. Can we just kick the ball off?” Weddle said smiling.
Weddle was a bit frustrated with the NFL because they would only give him two passes to access the field after the Super Bowl win.
“They gave us two passes for the field when I have four kids and a wife. So we’re battling all week, so Chanel and my kids were waiting in the tunnel, wouldn’t let them in, took them 45 minutes to let them in, the whole celebration is over. As great of a business the NFL is, they do so many dumb things that don’t make sense,” Weddle said.
Kahnert asked Weddle how he would respond if the RBHS Varsity team asked if he’d shave his beard if they won state.
“Listen I expect us to win state, so anything less than that we’re not doing our jobs right!,” said Weddle.
So no, the beard isn’t coming off.
During Kahnert’s interview with Weddle, an unexpected interruption happened. It was shortly after 9 a.m. and the school’s loud speaker announced it was time to do the Pledge of Allegiance.
So, both Kahnert and Weddle stood up to fulfill their patriotic duties.
“This is the stuff you’ve got to start getting used to, you’re going to be on campus a lot here,” Kahnert told Weddle.
“It’s great!” Weddle replied.
WATCH: Former Charger Eric Weddle to become head coach of Rancho Bernardo High School football team