Cephus Weatherspoon

{{Short description|American football player (born 1948)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| image =

| number = 85

| position = Wide receiver

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|06|14}}

| birth_place = Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.

| death_date =

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lbs = 182

| high_school = Globe (Globe, Arizona)

| college = Fort Lewis

| draftyear = 1972

| draftround = 13

| draftpick = 320

| teams =

• New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1972}})
• New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|1973}})*
• Denver Broncos ({{NFL Year|1974}})*
• Southern California Sun (1975)*
• Birmingham Vulcans (1975)

| pfr = WeatCe20

}}

Cephus Weatherspoon is a former American football wide receiver who played professionally for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL) and the Birmingham Vulcans of the World Football League (WFL).

Weatherspoon attended Fort Lewis College, where he also played basketball as a guard, after transferring from Mesa Community College.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Arizona Republic|date=February 3, 1972|title=Pro grid draft tabs six more state gridders|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109563346/arizona-republic/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Crowley Post-Signal|date=March 4, 1972|title=Guy called Cephus|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109562769/the-crowley-post-signal/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Arizona Silver Belt|date=September 30, 1971|page=6|title=Fort Lewis offensive threat hinges on Globe's Weatherspoon|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109609029/arizona-silver-belt/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph|date=September 9, 1971|page=79-AA|title=Defense, running priority at Ft. Lewis|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109609275/colorado-springs-gazette-telegraph/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph|date=January 15, 1970|page=4-E|title=CC meets Ft. Lewis, Metro in cage tests|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109609504/colorado-springs-gazette-telegraph/}} He was drafted by the Saints in the 13th round of the 1972 NFL draft with the 320th overall pick.{{cite web|title=Cephus Weatherspoon|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WeatCe20.htm|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference|accessdate=2022-09-14}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|date=February 4, 1972|title=The Billboard|author=Kwon, Bill|page=B-2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109562413/honolulu-star-bulletin/}} The Saints said of him that he is "A quick starter who can accelerate rapidly – and he can make nifty moves at top speed (4.6)...He has quick hands and feet and an excellent attitude."{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Jefferson Parish Times|date=August 3, 1972|title=The '72 Draft|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109563139/jefferson-parish-times/}} The Saints waived him towards the end of the preseason but then signed him to their taxi squad.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Pensacola News|date=September 7, 1972|title=Butler still Saint; Nine players waived|page=3D|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109562556/pensacola-news-journal/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Louisiana Weekly|date=September 16, 1972|title=Saints cut Holden|pages=1–2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109563570/the-louisiana-weekly/}} He was activated for the Saints' November 8 game against the Minnesota Vikings when linebacker Ray Hester and running back Arthur Green were injured and played mostly on special teams.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Delta Democrat-Times|date=November 3, 1972|title=Saints to start Gresham|page=14|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109563893/the-delta-democrat-times/}}{{cite web|title=Cephus Weatherspoon Game Logs|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WeatCe20/gamelog/1972/|publisher=Sports Reference|work=Pro Football Reference|accessdate=2022-09-14}} He was returned to the taxi squad after the game.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=York Daily Record|date=November 9, 1972|title=Saints replace three members of squad|page=54|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109565075/york-daily-record/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Jefferson Parish Times|date=August 2, 1973|title=Weatherspoon in running|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109565368/jefferson-parish-times/}}

Saints' coach J.D. Roberts felt that Weatherspoon had improved going into the 1973 preseason.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Pensacola News Journal|date=July 25, 1973|title=Saints grid scrimmage: A battle of runners?|page=4C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109565578/pensacola-news-journal/}} But Roberts was fired during the preseason, and Weatherspoon was cut without playing a regular season game that season.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Berkeley Gazette|date=October 17, 1973|title=Same old story — Abramowicz a loser again|author=Gandy, Jerry|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109566093/the-berkeley-gazette/}} In 1974, he signed with the Denver Broncos but was cut before the season began.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Daily Sentinel|date=July 23, 1974|title=Bronco rookies get 'good, long look'|author=Otte, Ed|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109567311/the-daily-sentinel/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Casper Star-Tribune|date=September 11, 1974|title=Broncos cut roster by 7|page=12|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109567404/casper-star-tribune/}}

In 1975, Weatherspoon signed with the Southern California Sun of the World Football League along with his brother Ed, a defensive back who had previously been with the Houston Oilers during the 1973 preseason.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=The Courier|date=June 3, 1975|title=Sun signings|page=16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109567538/the-courier/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Arizona Silver Belt|date=June 12, 1975|title=Brothers join new world football league|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7242961/cephus-weatherspoon-a-bronco/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Shreveport Times|date=July 25, 1973|page=2-C|title=Rams' receiver suspended|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109589946/the-times/}} Cephus was traded to the Vulcans at the end of July, just before the regular season began.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Pensacola News Journal|date=July 29, 1975|title=Pro Football Deals|page=3C|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109567740/pensacola-news-journal/}} In the opening game against the Chicago Winds on August 2 he caught a 53-yard pass from Matthew Reed to set up the Vulcans' only touchdown in their victory.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Alabama Journal|date=August 4, 1975|title=WFL opens: Smith blankets Gilliam in Vulcans' shutout|pages=14, 16|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109568289/alabama-journal/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Mongomery Advertiser|date=August 6, 1975|page=19|title=WFL's fate may rest on rotund Abe Gibron|author=Thomas, Roy|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109584770/the-montgomery-advertiser/}} That was to be Weatherspoon's only reception as a pro.{{cite web|title=Cephus Weatherspoon|url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-weathcep001|publisher=Stats Crew|accessdate=2022-09-14}} Ed remained with the Sun, where he intercepted two passes and returned two punts before being waived in September.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-15|newspaper=Independent|date=September 17, 1975|title=Ron Smith, 7 others cut by Sun|page=C-4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109590143/independent/}}{{cite web|title=Ed Weatherspoon|url=https://www.statscrew.com/football/stats/p-weathed001|publisher=Stats Crew|accessdate=2022-09-15}} The league folded before the end of the 1975 season. In 1976 and 1977 Weatherspoon played semi-pro football.{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 7, 1976|title=Rhinos open training|page=III-9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109569067/the-los-angeles-times/}}{{cite news|via=newspapers.com|accessdate=2022-09-14|newspaper=Santa Ana Register|date=May 5, 1977|title=New semi-pro grid team forming|page=E3|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109568911/santa-ana-register/}}

In 2012, Weatherspoon joined a lawsuit against the National Football League alleging concussion-related injuries from playing.{{cite web|title=Everitt et al v. National Football League et al|url=https://dockets.justia.com/docket/pennsylvania/paedce/2:2012cv00731/458422|accessdate=2022-09-15|publisher=Justia}}