John Wendling
{{Short description|American football player (born 1983)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = John Wendling
| image = Detroit Lions safety John Wendling.jpg
| caption = Wendling with the Detroit Lions in 2012
| number = 29, 21
| position = Safety / Special teamer
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1983|6|4}}
| birth_place = Cody, Wyoming, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 1
| weight_lbs = 222
| high_school = Rock Springs (WY)
| college = Wyoming
| draftyear = 2007
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 184
| pastteams =
- Buffalo Bills ({{NFL Year|2007}}–{{NFL Year|2009}})
- Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|2010}}–{{NFL Year|2013}})
| highlights =
| statlabel1 = Total tackles
| statvalue1 = 148
| statlabel2 = Fumble recoveries
| statvalue2 = 1
| statlabel3 = Pass deflections
| statvalue3 = 1
| statlabel4 = Interceptions
| statvalue4 = 1
| pfr = W/WendJo99
}}
John Wendling (born June 4, 1983) is an American former professional football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round (184th overall) of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football at Wyoming.
During the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Wendling saw most of his playing time as a gunner on special teams. He led the Bills in special teams tackles in 2009, and also led the Lions in 2010.
College career
Wendling redshirted as a freshman in 2002. In his redshirt freshman season, he played on special teams, ending up with two blocked kicks. During his sophomore redshirt season 2004, Wendling led the Cowboys in tackles with 89, and garnered Honorable Mention All-Conference honors. He also had a huge game against Air Force, making 11 tackles and breaking up two passes in a 43-26 victory over Air Force, eventually to be named MWC Defensive Player of the Week. Wendling also succeeded in his junior season, and once again earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors.
=College statistics=
| class="wikitable"
! Year | Games | Tackles | Assisted tackles | Interceptions | Yds | TD |
| style="background: #e3e3e3;
| 2004 | 5 | 56 | 33 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| style="background: #e3e3e3;
| 2005 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| style="background: #e3e3e3;
| 2006 | 5 | 38 | 40 | 1 | 15 | 0 |
| style="background: #e3e3e3;
| Total | 13 | 94 | 73 | 7 | 24 | 0 |
Professional career
=Buffalo Bills=
Wendling was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round with the 184th overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft.{{Cite web |title=2007 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2007/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He signed a contract with the team on July 24, 2007. He was waived on February 16, 2010.
=Detroit Lions=
Wendling signed with the Detroit Lions on August 27, 2010.
Wendling was named a special teams Pro Bowl alternate for the NFC during the 2010 NFL season.{{cite news|url=http://www.freep.com/article/20110727/SPORTS01/110727048/Lions-bring-back-John-Wendling-Drew-Stanton|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911091217/http://www.freep.com/article/20110727/SPORTS01/110727048/Lions-bring-back-John-Wendling-Drew-Stanton|title=Lions bring back John Wendling, Drew Stanton|date=July 27, 2011|first=Dave|last=Birkett|publisher=Detroit Free Press|archive-date=September 11, 2013}}
Wendling's contract ran out following the 2013 season and he was not re-signed by the Lions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.prideofdetroit.com/2014/2/21/5433204/lions-free-agents-2014|title = Lions not planning to re-sign five free agents|date = February 21, 2014}}
NFL career statistics
| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
! colspan="2"| Legend |
| Bold
| Career high |
=Regular season=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Tackles !colspan="5"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |
| 2007 | BUF
| 14 || 0 || 10 || 10 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2008 | BUF
| 16 || 0 || 13 || 10 || 3 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2009 | BUF
| 16 || 0 || 27 || 20 || 7 || 0.0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2010 | DET
| 16 || 0 || 30 || 22 || 8 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2011 | DET
| 16 || 1 || 25 || 20 || 5 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2012 | DET
| 16 || 3 || 29 || 23 || 6 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| 2013 | DET
| 16 || 0 || 14 || 10 || 4 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| | 110 | 4 | 148 | 115 | 33 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
=Playoffs=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||||||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
!rowspan="2"| Team !colspan="2"| Games !colspan="5"| Tackles !colspan="5"| Interceptions !colspan="4"| Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | TFL | Int | Yds | TD | Lng | PD | FF | FR | Yds | TD | |
| 2011 | DET
| 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 | |||||||||||||||
| colspan="2"| | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Personal life
Wendling's wife suggested that he grow out a mullet while watching a Colorado Rockies baseball game in which one of the players donned the prolific hairstyle. Wendling's teammate Reggie Bush referred to him as "Joe Dirt" due to Wendling's resemblance to David Spade's character in the 2001 comedy film by the same name.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2013/11/detroit_lions_qa_john_joe_dirt.html|title = Detroit Lions Q&A: John Wendling, aka 'Joe Dirt,' reveals the origins of his legendary mullet|date = November 8, 2013}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.detroitlions.com/team/roster/John-Wendling/595dddd5-0690-4b13-b66a-fb32765309ec Detroit Lions bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111113120436/http://www.detroitlions.com/team/roster/John-Wendling/595dddd5-0690-4b13-b66a-fb32765309ec |date=November 13, 2011 }}
- [http://wyomingathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wendling_john00.html Wyoming Cowboys football bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302122636/http://wyomingathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/wendling_john00.html |date=March 2, 2007 }}
{{Bills2007DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wendling, John}}
Category:People from Cody, Wyoming
Category:Players of American football from Wyoming
Category:American football safeties
Category:Wyoming Cowboys football players