Cephus Weatherspoon

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).

Cephus Weatherspoon
No. 85
Position:Wide receiver
Personal information
Born: (1948-06-14) June 14, 1948
Meridian, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:182 lb (83 kg)
Career information
High school:Globe (Globe, Arizona)
College:Fort Lewis College
NFL Draft:1972 / Round: 13 / Pick: 320
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Player stats at PFR

Weatherspoon attended Fort Lewis College, where he also played basketball as a guard, after transferring from Mesa Community College.[1][2][3][4][5] He was drafted by the Saints in the 13th round of the 1972 NFL Draft with the 320th overall pick.[2][6][7] 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."[8] The Saints waived him towards the end of the preseason but then signed him to their taxi squad.[9][10] 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.[11][12][13] He was returned to the taxi squad after the game.[14][13]

Saints' coach J.D. Roberts felt that Weatherspoon had improved going into the 1973 preseason.[15] But Roberts was fired during the preseason, and Weatherspoon was cut without playing a regular season game that season.[16] In 1974, he signed with the Denver Broncos but was cut before the season began.[17][18]

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.[19][20][21] Cephus was traded to the Vulcans at the end of July, just before the regular season began.[22] 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.[23][24] That was to be Weatherspoon's only reception as a pro.[25] Ed remained with the Sun, where he intercepted two passes and returned two punts before being waived in September.[26][27] The league folded before the end of the 1975 season. In 1976 and 1977 Weatherspoon played semi-pro football.[28][29]

In 2012, Weatherspoon joined a lawsuit against the National Football League alleging concussion-related injuries from playing.[30]

References
  1. "Pro grid draft tabs six more state gridders". Arizona Republic. February 3, 1972. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  2. "Guy called Cephus". Crowley Post-Signal. March 4, 1972. p. 5. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  3. "Fort Lewis offensive threat hinges on Globe's Weatherspoon". Arizona Silver Belt. September 30, 1971. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  4. "Defense, running priority at Ft. Lewis". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. September 9, 1971. p. 79-AA. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  5. "CC meets Ft. Lewis, Metro in cage tests". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. January 15, 1970. p. 4-E. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  6. "Cephus Weatherspoon". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  7. Kwon, Bill (February 4, 1972). "The Billboard". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. B-2. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  8. "The '72 Draft". Jefferson Parish Times. August 3, 1972. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  9. "Butler still Saint; Nine players waived". Pensacola News. September 7, 1972. p. 3D. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  10. "Saints cut Holden". Louisiana Weekly. September 16, 1972. pp. 1–2. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  11. "Saints to start Gresham". Delta Democrat-Times. November 3, 1972. p. 14. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  12. "Cephus Weatherspoon Game Logs". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  13. "Weatherspoon in running". Jefferson Parish Times. August 2, 1973. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  14. "Saints replace three members of squad". York Daily Record. November 9, 1972. p. 54. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  15. "Saints grid scrimmage: A battle of runners?". Pensacola News Journal. July 25, 1973. p. 4C. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  16. Gandy, Jerry (October 17, 1973). "Same old story — Abramowicz a loser again". Berkeley Gazette. p. 17. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  17. Otte, Ed (July 23, 1974). "Bronco rookies get 'good, long look'". Daily Sentinel. p. 6. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  18. "Broncos cut roster by 7". Casper Star-Tribune. September 11, 1974. p. 12. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  19. "Sun signings". The Courier. June 3, 1975. p. 16. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  20. "Brothers join new world football league". Arizona Silver Belt. June 12, 1975. p. 7. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  21. "Rams' receiver suspended". Shreveport Times. July 25, 1973. p. 2-C. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  22. "Pro Football Deals". Pensacola News Journal. July 29, 1975. p. 3C. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  23. "WFL opens: Smith blankets Gilliam in Vulcans' shutout". Alabama Journal. August 4, 1975. pp. 14, 16. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  24. Thomas, Roy (August 6, 1975). "WFL's fate may rest on rotund Abe Gibron". Mongomery Advertiser. p. 19. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  25. "Cephus Weatherspoon". Stats Crew. Retrieved 2022-09-14.
  26. "Ron Smith, 7 others cut by Sun". Independent. September 17, 1975. p. C-4. Retrieved 2022-09-15 – via newspapers.com.
  27. "Ed Weatherspoon". Stats Crew. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
  28. "Rhinos open training". Los Angeles Times. July 7, 1976. p. III-9. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  29. "New semi-pro grid team forming". Santa Ana Register. May 5, 1977. p. E3. Retrieved 2022-09-14 – via newspapers.com.
  30. "Everitt et al v. National Football League et al". Justia. Retrieved 2022-09-15.
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