Utah college legends Eric Weddle, Jimmer Fredette receive big honors
-
- LEFT: BYU guard Jimmer Fredette dribbles during an NCAA tournament game on March 17, 2011, in Denver. RIGHT: Utah’s Eric Weddle scores a touchdown in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 23, 2006, in Fort Worth, Texas.
-
- Utah’s Eric Weddle (32) scores a touchdown past Tulsa defensive end Robert Latu (91) in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 23, 2006, in Fort Worth, Texas.
-
- BYU guard Jimmer Fredette (32) dribbles during an NCAA tournament second-round game on March 17, 2011, in Denver.
Two fan favorites and legends of Utah college sports learned Wednesday of two big post-career accomplishments.
Former University of Utah football player Eric Weddle has been named to the 2026 class of the College Football Hall of Fame, while former BYU basketball player Jimmer Fredette will join a short list of Cougars to have his jersey retired.
A consensus First Team All-American in 2006, Weddle, a safety, played a central role in Utah’s rise to national prominence, contributing to a 37-12 record, four consecutive bowl victories, and the program’s first-ever undefeated season during his career. He joins quarterback Alex Smith and coach Urban Meyer, both his contemporaries, and former head coach Ike Armstrong (1957) as Utah’s inductees to the CFB Hall of Fame.
Weddle was a two-time Mountain West defensive player of the year, totaling nine forced fumbles and 18 interceptions, with three returned for touchdowns, and an additional two fumble recoveries returned for touchdowns, while at Utah. He also appeared in goal-line offense for Utah, rushing for six touchdowns and passing for one more.
The San Diego Chargers drafted Weddle in the second round, starting his 14-year NFL career. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection with the Chargers and Baltimore Ravens. At age 36 after two regular seasons away from the league, he rejoined the Los Angeles Rams for the playoffs after the 2021 season, recording 18 tackles in four playoff games to help the Rams win the Super Bowl.
Weddle’s induction ceremony is scheduled for the 68th NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 8 at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.
Fredette, wearing No. 32 (as did Weddle), joins four other BYU men’s basketball players to see their numbers lifted to the Marriott Center rafters (Roland Minson No. 11, Kresimir Cosic No. 11, Mel Hutchins No. 14, Danny Ainge No. 22).
His ceremony will take place when BYU hosts Colorado on Feb. 14.
In 2011, Fredette created “Jimmermania” on his way to near-consensus National Player of the Year honors, scoring 28.9 points per game while leading BYU to its highest-ever national ranking at No. 3. He made BYU a must-watch team with his display of long-distance 3-point shooting.
As a senior that year, Fredette’s 1,068 points are the 11th most in one season in Division I men’s basketball history. He also set a single-game BYU record with 52 points in the semifinals of the Mountain West tournament.
After a six-year journeyman career in the NBA, with other professional stops in Greece and China, Fredette then helped Team USA qualify for the first-ever 3×3 basketball event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
