Weddle will take over as Rancho Bernardo High football coach in 2023

Several weeks ago, Eric Weddle said on a national podcast that he had interviewed for a football job in the Poway Unified School District.

Saturday, it became clear what job that was when a post from Rancho Bernardo High School Football that was picked up by CBS Sports popped up, saying Tristan McCoy would coach one more year at RB, then turn the program over to Weddle.

In part, the post said “It’s Official! The 2022 football season will be Coach McCoy’s last as the RBHS head coach.

“At the end of the 2022 season he will be handing the reins to Super Bowl Champ Eric Weddle, who will take over as head coach of the program.

“Eric will be joining the Bronco family this season to learn the BLUE in BLUE out culture.

“Coach McCoy plans to remain on staff and support Coach Weddle in the upcoming years.”

Athletic director Tracey Stowe said Weddle will be a part-time assistant this year while he continues coaching his 12U Pop Warner team.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to coach high school football,” Weddle said via text. “To have the chance to teach, coach and inspire these kids to be GREAT on and off the field through football is what I’m most excited for. I have huge shoes to fill from Coach T, I am up for the challenge. I will not let him or Principal Hans Becker and AD Tracey Stowe down.”

Weddle will be a walk-on football coach.

McCoy isn’t retiring as a teacher.

“The idea for this came from Tristan,” said Stowe. “His son plays for Eric’s 12U Pop Warner team, so it wasn’t an idea from out of left field.

“This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. Being the head coach is more than just stepping on the field Friday night and coaching.

“Eric totally understands that.”

“But he and Tristan will be involved in a lot of the team decisions from here on out,” Stowe said.

“Eric and Tristan parallel each other and that’s the right thing for the RB football program.

“They both want the boys to contribute to society later on in life. It’s not all about wins and losses.

“Eric very much wants to continue Tristan’s legacy. The program is moving in the right direction.”

A Poway resident, Weddle was a three-sport star at Alta Loma High in the CIF Southern Section, playing football, basketball and baseball.

He played quarterback and running back on offense and in the secondary on defense.

He was a second-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers out of Utah in 2007 and played nine seasons for the Chargers and three with the Baltimore Ravens.

He was lured out a two-year retirement by the Los Angeles Rams and played four games in the playoffs, including the Super Bowl.

He’s a six-time Pro Bowl selection and was a member of the NFL’s 2010 All-Decade Team.

He has played for big-name coaches like Ron Rivera, Buddy Ryan, Wade Phillips, John Harbaugh, Raheem Morris and John Pagano.

He had a special relationship with Rams coach Sean McVay, who lured him out of retirement.

Weddle coached with former Poway High head man Scott Coats last season on the RB Broncos youth team that went 11-1.

One of Weddle’s best friends is former Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who posted a 6-3 record last season as the head football coach at St. Michael Catholic in Fairhope, Ala.

McCoy has a 72-52 record in 11 seasons at Rancho Bernardo, including a 7-25 start in his first three years.

The Broncos were 34-6 in a three-year span from 2014-16, including 13-2 in 2015 wen RB won the State Division IIIA title, beating Atherton Sacred Heart 35-14.

McCoy is one win away from tying Ron Hamamoto for most wins in school history,

RB was 7-4 last season.

Monahan is freelance writer .