Eric Weddle had no problem tearing into Michigan’s quarterback play after visiting nine schools with his son, calling the Wolverines the worst of the bunch and questioning Bryce Underwood’s championship potential. The backlash didn’t faze the former All-Pro safety. But now, the Super Bowl champion is going after Deion Sanders for publicly criticizing Colorado’s quarterback situation.
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Weddle, who played under Kyle Whittingham at Utah, believes Sanders crossed a line with his comments following the Texas Tech loss and says he’d tell Julian Lewis to stop playing for him.
“Super Bowl Champion & Utah Alum Eric Weddle @weddlesbeard Says He’d Tell Julian Lewis To NOT Play For Colorado For Rest Of Season If He Were In His Camp,” Zero 2 Sixty posted on X on October 15.
Speaking on Zero 2 Sixty, Weddle asked the hosts to imagine a coach publicly blaming a right guard or defensive tackle for a team’s struggles. “Would you want to go play for that?” he asked.
Weddle argued that college athletes are now paid and treated like professionals. If he were advising Lewis, he would confront Sanders directly.
“There’s probably seven other people that you could have pointed out including yourself and I’m not playing another down for you,” Weddle said.
Following Colorado’s 29-7 loss to Texas Tech, Sanders identified quarterback play as the team’s “one glaring problem.” But Lewis never took the field. Isaac Wilson started, completing 26 of 44 passes for 290 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions.
Sanders also defended Lewis when reporters questioned his absence.
“JuJu didn’t play today. I’m not going to badger the kid or say nothing derogatory for the kid,” Sanders said.
Lewis has completed 61 of 95 passes for 733 yards, six touchdowns, and two interceptions this season. Wilson has completed 40 of 71 attempts for 443 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Colorado enters its October 17 matchup against No. 11 Utah at 2-3, with Lewis’ role uncertain.
Weddle has previously been outspoken about another young quarterback, Michigan’s Bryce Underwood.
After watching Underwood in two games during the 2025 season and attending spring practice, Weddle questioned his accuracy and ability to perform at a championship level. He explained his assessment on The Rich Eisen Show.
“So let me give a little context because everyone just thinks when I say [Bryce Underwood] can’t throw it means he literally can’t throw it,” Weddle said. “It means I didn’t, I don’t think he’s very accurate. And when I say he, I don’t think he can play quarterback, it means playing the position at the standard that I think he should be at.”
Although he acknowledged Underwood’s physical talent, Weddle stood by his assessment.
“And listen, I don’t take back what I said,” Weddle told Eisen. “Obviously, hearing it doesn’t come off very well, but the point is, you have to play quarterback a certain way to win a national championship.”
Underwood later completed 12 of 22 passes for 170 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown, against Western Michigan. He also rushed for 47 yards and a score on nine carries.
Whittingham subsequently warned that Underwood’s starting job was not guaranteed.
“He’s our QB right now. It’s not something that’s infinite,” Whittingham said. “At some point, we’ve got to turn a corner, and we’ve got to see improvement.”
ESPN analyst Booger McFarland also suggested on X that Whittingham could make a change if Underwood failed to improve.
Underwood arrived at Michigan as the No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2025 recruiting class after flipping his commitment from LSU.
Sanders, meanwhile, offered a different message to his son, Shedeur Sanders, when discussing his NFL situation in September 2025.
During an appearance on the New Heights podcast, Sanders addressed Shedeur’s position with the Cleveland Browns, where he was behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel on the depth chart.
“Be patient and be ready,” Sanders said. “They call your name and you ain’t ready, we ain’t built like that. Sanders, we ain’t built like that, we’re always ready. And I want you to be patient. You don’t force anything that might not be time.”
While Shedeur’s NFL circumstances differ from Lewis’ situation at Colorado, Sanders’ advice emphasized patience and preparation rather than forcing an opportunity.
Colorado now hosts undefeated No. 11 Utah on October 17, putting Sanders against Weddle’s alma mater. With the Buffaloes at 2-3 and their quarterback rotation unsettled, the pressure is on Sanders to find answers.
For Weddle, the issue goes beyond who starts at quarterback. He believes a head coach should accept his share of responsibility rather than publicly placing the burden on one position.