After 12 years in the NFL, Eric Weddle has built up a certain amount of latitude when it comes to determining his future plans. And on Monday, the day after the Ravens' season-ending 23-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild-card playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, the free safety said he desires to play for no other team than the Ravens, who could release him with only one year left on his contract.
"If they want to go in a different direction, I'm not going to go play for another team," said Weddle, who turned 34 on Friday. "It's not where I'm at in my career. It's either play my last year here and that will be it and enjoy it, or this has been it. It's pretty simple. I'm a simple kind of guy."
The organization has not tipped its hand yet regarding Weddle, but he certainly acted like someone who can see the sun setting. He signed jerseys, helmets and other items for teammates and hugged them and a few members of the public relations staff.
Weddle finished the regular season ranked third on the defense in total tackles (68) and second in solo stops (54) and added one sack and three pass breakups. But he failed to get an interception in 16 games _ the first time that has happened in his career _ and his three pass breakups were a career low.
Weddle, whose wife Chanel and four children returned to California after Sunday's game, admitted that he still has to meet with soon-to-be general manager Eric DeCosta. But he remains adamant about his stance.
"If he wants me back, I'm here," Weddle said. "If not, it's all good. I understand it, and I'll just ride off in the sunset. I'm good. I still have a desire to play, and I feel that I can still affect the game and dominate games. Either way, I'm good with whatever. Hopefully, I'm healthy and it won't be as much of a hard transition in the offseason as it was last year. I'm excited for that, to be somewhat healthy that I won't be in so much pain for months. It's exciting. We're going to know, and I'm sure everyone else will."
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