Stephen Weatherly returning to Minnesota Vikings on 1-year deal
Stephen Weatherly #91 of the Minnesota Vikings tackles David Montgomery #32 of the Chicago Bears in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ((Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - Stephen Weatherly announced on social media on Thursday he’s returning to the Minnesota Vikings for the 2021 season.
Weatherly, who signed as a free agent last year with the Carolina Panthers, made nine starts on the defenisve line last season. He played about 61 percent of the team’s defensive snaps through nine games, and made 17 total tackles with one tackle for loss and three quarterback hits.
His season came to an end after nine games, suffering a finger injury that required surgery.
Weatherly spent his first four NFL seasons with the Vikings, playing in 49 games with seven starts. He had 84 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass defended over that time. In 2019, he played in 16 games with one start, and finished with 24 tackles and three sacks.
His best season came with the Vikings in 2018, where he had 35 tackles and three sacks in six starts.