San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Super Bowl champ honored by city
The city of Poway will plant 20 majestic oak trees in Community Park in honor of resident and Super Bowl LVI champion Eric Weddle.
The announcement was made in a proclamation read by Mayor Steve Vaus at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.
“This is pretty awesome,” said Weddle, after the proclamation was read. “It’s kind of awkward for me to be in the spotlight.” “It’s truly an honor,” he added. Weddle came out of retirement to win the Super Bowl with his team, the Los Angeles Rams, on Feb. 13. It was only possible, he said, because of his wife, Chanel, who was home in Poway with their four children, Gaige, Brooklyn, Silver and Kamri Joe.
“It wouldn’t have happened without the better half,” he told those gathered in the Poway council chambers.
“We love Poway. We love the community,” Weddle said. “It’s just good feels when you drive through here.”
Weddle, a former San Diego Chargers safety, sat in the front row with his family as a video highlighting his football career was played. Weddle had a 750-day retirement, during which he coached his son, played pickup basketball and ran “Weddle taxi service,” Vaus said.
“You stand here tonight a Super Bowl champion,” Vaus said, speaking of Weddle’s determination and resilience.
Vaus said he is proud Weddle chose to call Poway home even though he’ll be head football coach for Rancho Bernardo High School in 2023.
“We’re going to try and look past the fact that it’s Rancho Bernardo High School,” the mayor joked.
Weddle, who has lived in Poway full time since 2018, said he looks at himself as a “normal Joe” who is no bigger or better than anyone else. He said he has been working with the city for a couple of months to schedule the proclamation and Tuesday worked out perfectly.
After Vaus read the proclamation, Weddle mingled with the crowd, signing a football and taking pictures with people.
“It’s humbling,” he said after the ceremony.
“I feel like now is my time to give back.”