NFL fans lose their mind as Rams tempt Eric Weddle out of retirement

Los Angeles Rams safety Eric Weddle retired from the National Football League in 2020 after a 13-year career.

After nearly two years away from the NFL, it was announced on Wednesday morning that the five-time All-Pro safety was signing with his former team, the Los Angeles Rams, as they gear up for a playoff run.

The news took the NFL world by surprise as there has been no sign of the former Rams safety coming out of retirement.

The former Utah Utes conrerback began his career with the Chargers and then spent time with the Ravens and signed with the Rams on a two-year deal but retired before the last season of the contract.

He will now head back to the football field, just days before the Los Angeles Rams are set to play in the Wild Card round of the 2021 NFL playoffs against the NFC West division rival Arizona Cardinals.

Twitter reacts to news that safety Eric Weddle comes out of retirement, signs with Rams

The beard is BACK.

Eric Weddle has signed with the @RamsNFL for their playoff run. #RamsHouse

MORE: bit.ly/3A5DJrr https://t.co/tt48ZmOw37

The 37-year-old safety that spent 13 years in the National Football League will rejoin his former team, the Los Angeles Rams.

The Southern California native will now try and help the Rams secondary prepare for the Arizona Cardinals in Monday night's Wild Card showdown.

The Rams are signing longtime standout S Eric Weddle, per his agent @davidcanter. A return to LA for Weddle to fill in for Jordan Fuller.

With safety Jordan Fuller out for the playoffs with an ankle injury, Weddle will now be able to hopefully step in and help.

Reunion: The #Rams are signing S Eric Weddle to play in the playoffs, per agent @davidcanter. With the injury to Jordan Fuller, Weddle steps in. Wild.

Shock was the first emotion exerted by NFL fans as the news broke this morning.

LA Rams have secondary issues so they’re bring back @UtesInTheNFL Eric Weddle for the playoffs🏈🏈 https://t.co/baWU29GPzn

And the shock continued throughout the day as the news spread.

Eric Weddle played for the Rams in 2019, the last season before he announced his retirement.

Now, he returns to LA out of retirement with a chance to compete for a Super Bowl and play in a defense he knows extremely well. twitter.com/fieldyates/sta…

Then there were those who wondered what type of football condition the former safety would be in after a two-year hiatus from the game. He last played in the NFL in the 2019 NFL season and announced his retirement a few months later.

Eric Weddle tryna cover Christian Kirk 30 yards downfield
https://t.co/Vb1FThql9A

And even more memes and jokes about the age and physical condition of Eric Weddle when he returns.

Eric Weddle after his first snap with the Rams: https://t.co/2WsIZCQe7n

The news may not come as a surprise to some, though, who wondered if the Rams were on the brink of breaking news after Jalen Ramsey tweeted a cryptic message with just the "hehe" and devil emoji late on Tuesday evening.

😈 HeHeHeHeHe

There are some flashback videos circulating around Twitter as well, about what the former All-American college football player was capable of doing at the start of his career.

Eric Weddle used to FLOAT 😳

https://t.co/vqZ7Mcag9T

And there was even a tweet about how much has changed in the entire world since the last time the former Ravens safety stepped onto the football field.

He now enters the world of the NFL under the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last time Eric Weddle played football, there wasn’t a pandemic

The type of impact that he will have for the Rams on Monday night is something that everyone will be sure to be keeping an eye on. As a safety who hasn't played in two years, the speed of the game in the NFL may be a challenge.