Eric Weems is a former American football player who played as a wide receiver and return specialist. He began his football career at Bethune-Cookman University, where he played college football for four years. During his time at Bethune-Cookman, Weems was a standout player and was named to the All-MEAC team twice.
After college, Weems went undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft but was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons. He spent his first two seasons with the Falcons primarily as a special teams player, returning kickoffs and punts. In 2009, Weems returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers, which was his first career touchdown.
In 2010, Weems began to see more playing time as a wide receiver, catching 11 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. He also continued to excel as a return specialist, returning a kickoff for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Weems was named to the Pro Bowl that season as a special teams player.
Over the next few seasons, Weems continued to contribute as a return specialist and occasional wide receiver for the Falcons. In 2012, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals, which was his third career touchdown. He also caught a career-high 24 passes for 252 yards that season.
In 2013, Weems signed with the Chicago Bears as a free agent. He played two seasons with the Bears, primarily as a special teams player. In 2014, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings, which was his fourth career touchdown.
Weems returned to the Falcons in 2016, signing a two-year contract. He played in all 16 games that season, primarily as a special teams player. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, which was his fifth career touchdown.
In 2017, Weems signed with the Tennessee Titans but was released during the preseason. He then signed with the Tennessee Titans, where he played in two games before being released in October.
Overall, Weems had a successful career as a return specialist and special teams player in the NFL. He scored five touchdowns on kickoff returns and was named to the Pro Bowl once. While he never became a star wide receiver, he was a reliable contributor on special teams and played for several teams over the course of his career.
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