Wes Welker

At 42 years old, Wes Welker has this physical status:

College career

Welker played for the Red Raiders football team at Texas Tech University while attending Texas Tech University. His last-minute signing for the Red Raider football team was extremely helpful. Welker earned the nickname "The Natural" from his recruiter and then running backs coach Art Briles at Texas Tech, based on a highlight reel from high school, before his freshman year for his versatility and big-game success.

Welker made his collegiate debut against Utah State in 2000. In the 38-16 victory, he made an eight-yard punt return. He returned a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown two weeks later in a 26-0 win over Louisiana–Lafayette. He had four punt returns on the day for 102 net yards on a 25.5 average on October 7, his first collegiate reception against Baylor was held on October 7, with a 37-yard touchdown. He had five receptions for 72 yards to go along with a 42-yard rushing touchdown on October 28, defeating Kansas 45-39. In addition, he had a punt return that went 66 yards for a touchdown. He had 26 receptions for 334 yards as a freshman. In addition, he had 17 kickoff returns for 353 net yards for an 18.0 average and 28 punt returns for 353 net yards for a 12.6 average and two punt return touchdowns.

Welker had four receptions for 40 passing yards and his first collegiate receiving touchdown on a pass by quarterback Kliff Kingsbury in the Red Raiders' 2001 season opener, a 42–30 victory over New Mexico. He had six receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns on October 13, 38-19 victory over Kansas State. He had four receptions for 47 yards to go along with an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the following game, a 41–31 loss at Nebraska. In the 12–0 victory over Texas A&M, he had a season-high 11 receptions for 64 yards on November 3, 2009. He had 50 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore.

Welker's 2001 season began with five receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns in the 45-21 loss to Ohio State. In the 24-14 victory over SMU, he put in another good effort with nine receptions for 153 yards. He had four receptions for 40 yards against Ole Miss the following week and won by a score of 71 yards. In the 48-47 shootout victory, he had 10 receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown, as well as an 88-yard punt return for a touchdown. In the 42–38 victory over Texas, he had 14 receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns. He had three receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown in the 55-15 victory over Clemson, as a result of a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown. He had 86 receptions for 1,054 yards and seven receiving touchdowns as a junior, as well as 57 punt returns for 752 net yards and three punt returns for touchdowns. His total receptions came in third, receiving yards placed sixth, and touchdown receptions came in seventh, according to David Foster. With his total punt return yardage, he led the conference and finished second in the NCAA.

In a 58–10 victory over SMU in the first three games of the 2003 season, Welker had 16 receptions for 183 yards and had a punt return touchdown. In his fourth game against Ole Miss, he had ten receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown, leading to the 49-45 victory. In the 59-28 victory over Texas A&M, he had six receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns. In the 51-49 loss, he had 10 receptions for 129 yards and two touchdowns against Oklahoma State on October 18. .. In the 26–21 victory over Colorado, he had five receptions for 91 yards and a receiving touchdown to go along with a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown. In his last collegiate game against Navy in 2003, he had seven receptions for 107 yards in the 38–14 victory. He had 97 receptions for 1,099 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with a four-yard running touchdown as a senior.

He had 259 receptions for 3,019 yards and 21 touchdowns, 341 kickoff return yards, and 79 rushes for 456 yards and two touchdowns during his four-year career. With 1,761, he set the NCAA record for punt return yards and had eight punts for touchdowns in his career, placing him in second place behind Antonio Perkins for the NCAA record and second place behind Dante Perkins, who finished with nine.

Welker received the Mosi Tatupu Award in 2003, which is given every year to the best special teams player in college football. Welker was also selected as a punt returner to the Sports Illustrated All-Decade Team.

Welker was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine until his senior season at Texas Tech.

Professional career

Welker, who was undrafted in the 2004 NFL Draft, has been signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent. Welker kept the Chargers out of training camp but was suspended after the Chargers announced safety Clinton Hart off waivers for the first game of the season. Marty Schottenheimer revealed later that Welker's dismissal was the "biggest mistake [he] ever made" in terms of roster reductions.

He went through waivers after the Chargers released Welker. Although the Chargers offered him a spot on their practice squad, Welker decided to sign with the Miami Dolphins rather than the Chargers, where he was mostly used on special teams. Welker, who played against the New England Patriots on October 10, 2004, became the second player in NFL history to return a kickoff and a punt, kick an extra point and a field goal, and make a tackle in a single game. Welker received the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for his latest appearance. In a 29–28 victory over the Patriots, Welker had a 71-yard punt return to set up Miami's first touchdown. In the 30–23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, he had a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown. He finished the 2004 season with 61 kickoff returns for 1,415 net yards (23.20 average) and a kickoff return touchdown, as well as 43 punt returns for 464 net yards (10.79 average).

Welker was promoted to the third wide receiver position during training camp at the start of the 2005 season after Chris Chambers and Marty Booker. He had 29 receptions for 434 yards in the 2005 season. In addition,, he had 43 punt returns for 390 yards, a 9.1-yard average (11th in the NFL), and 61 kickoff returns for 1,379 yards, a 22.6-yard average (20th in the NFL).

Welker, who had rumors that he would be cut during the preseason, was the first star in the struggling Dolphins' offense. He had a team-high 29 catches and a team-high 299 yards in five games. In a 20-ten loss to the New England Patriots on October 8, 2006, he was a reliable target for back-up quarterback Joey Harrington, who had a career-high nine catches for 77 yards. He had a team-best 67 receptions for 687 yards and one touchdown on the season. He had 48 kickoffs for 1,048 yards (22.2 percent) and 41 punts for 378 yards (9.2 average).

The Dolphins gave Welker, a restricted free agent, a second-round tender of $1.35 million for a one-year contract, which was agreed upon by the Dolphins on March 1, 2007. According to news, the New England Patriots, who were interested in Welker, had initially considered signing him to an offer sheet. Miami would have had seven days to match the competition. According to The Boston Globe, the sheet would have included a poison pill section that would have made it impossible for the Dolphins to match. The Patriots, on the other hand, decided against using such a bid and traded their 2007 second-round draft pick and a seventh-round draft pick to the Dolphins for Welker.

In his first ten games, Welker's first season as a Patriot eclipsed his 2006 season as a Dolphin; he increased his totals for receptions, touchdowns, and yardage; He scored his first touchdown in Week 1 against the New York Jets, defeating the New York Jets for their first game in 1973. Welker had 11 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns in 2007, beating the Dallas Cowboys by 48–27, and the Miami Dolphins won by 41–28, with three touchdowns and two more touchdowns; in Week 28, a 31–28 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, he set a record for single-game yardage; and in Week 6, a 38–28 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, he tied for 149 yards and two touchdowns (all career- For the first time in his career, Welker reached 1,000 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 16, tying the Patriots franchise record set by Troy Brown in 2001. In Week 17, he caught 11 more passes, the Patriots franchise record for catches with 112, tying Bengals receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh for most receptions in the 2007 NFL season. In a rookie season with a new team, he set a new franchise record for the most catches. Welker, who finished the season with 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns, received one vote for NFL Offensive Player of the Year, an honor won by his quarterback, Tom Brady, and was selected to his first AP All-Pro Team (second team).

Welker had 16 receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns in his first two postseason games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the AFC Championship against the San Diego Chargers. In the Patriots' 17–14 loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII, he tied the then-super Bowl record of 11 receptions in a single game.

Despite the season-ending ACL injury to quarterback Tom Brady against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, Welker continued to postass receptions with Matt Cassel at quarterback in the first half of the season. In each of the Patriots' first 11 games, he had six or more receptions, beating Jimmy Smith's record of eight games at the start of the Jacksonville Jaguars' 2001 season.

In the Patriots' 48-28 victory over the Miami Dolphins, Welker had what was the longest pass play of his NFL career, before eteing and running down the left sideline to the Miami 21, for a total of 64 yards, 59 yards after the catch. In Week 14 against the Seattle Seahawks, Welker passed for 132 yards and a pass on the Patriots' two-point conversion. He finished the season with 96 receptions for 1,002 yards (ninth in the NFL, third in AFC). Welker made history by becoming the first Patriots player and the eighth in NFL history to reach 100 percent, in 2002 and 2003; Brandon Marshall made the feat in the same seasons as Welker.

Welker was fined $10,000 by the NFL for celebrating a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on December 21 by lying down in the snow by the endzone and using his body to make a snow angel, in violation of a new NFL rule change that prohibits going to the ground following a touchdown unsportsmanlike behavior.

Welker was selected to attend the 2009 Pro Bowl as a reserve and was also selected to the AP All-Pro Second Team.

Welker opened the 2009 season with 12 receptions for 93 yards in a 25-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills. He was sidelined in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively, due to a knee injury; rookie wide receiver Julian Edelman took his place in the lineup. Welker had 10 passes for 150 yards, a new high (at the time), and two touchdowns in his Week 6 match against the Tennessee Titans on October 18. Tom Brady's fifth touchdown in a single quarter was the second of Welker's touchdowns. In the Patriots' Week 11 rematch against the Jets, Welker set career records: he punched 17 times, he gained 15 passes, the first single-game total for any player in the NFL in 2009 — for 192 yards on a reverse. Welker had 167 receiving yards against the Dolphins in Week 13 for the third straight season. Welker had 167 yards on 10 targets, including a season-long 58-yard reception over the middle in the Dolphins' 22-21 loss. Welker converted 10 passes (out of 19 total completions for Brady) for 105 yards in the Patriots' Week 14 victory over the Carolina Panthers. Welker led the NFL in receptions at 107 receptions in just 11 games, but this was his highest receptions in 11 games. Welker was also the fourth receiver in NFL history (after Jerry Rice, Herman Moore, and Marvin Harrison), and Brandon Marshall tied for the fourth season in a row (after Welker) to receive 100 passes in three seasons. Welker had 13 passes in Week 16, giving him seven games with double-digit receptions. Marvin Harrison set the record for the most double digit reception games in a single season. Despite missing two games earlier in the season, he did well. Welker sustained a knee injury while running upfield to make his first reception of the game in Week 17. In the Patriots' Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, he suffered a torn MCL and ACL in his left knee and was unable to participate. On January 6, 2010, he was placed on injured reserve and was put on medical reserve.

Welker's season ended with a 123 receptions, the second-highest number in football history, and finished second in yardage, behind Houston's Andre Johnson. He was also selected to represent the AFC in the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row, and for the first time in his career, he was also named to the All-Pro First Team. He was unable to play in the Pro Bowl due to his knee injury, and teammate Randy Moss was named on the Pro Bowl roster.

Welker recovered his knee during the 2010 offseason with the intention of being ready for the 2010 season opener, although some analysts predicted that he would debut the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, and others forecast that he would miss the entire 2010 season.

Nonetheless, Welker was involved in the Patriots' Week 38-24 win over the Cincinnati Bengals and led all Patriots receivers with eight catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns; those catches included Brady's first pass attempt of the season and his first touchdown pass. Welker was forced to kick an extra point against the Patriots in Week 934–14, after suffering an ankle injury to kicker Stephen Gostkowski; he converted the attempt. In the Patriots' 45-24 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving, Welker had two touchdown catches. In a Week 14 36–7 victory over the Chicago Bears, he tied for a season-high in receiving yards on eight plays. He finished the 2010 season with 86 receptions for 848 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games, with 11 starts. He was recalled as an injury replacement for Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson.

Welker was suspended for the teams' first offensive sequence after making a string of foot references in a press conference that featured Jets coach Rex Ryan's foot fetish. In the 28–21 loss, he had seven receptions for 57 yards. On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011 Players' List, he ranked 50th among his peers.

Welker intercepted a 99-yard pass from Tom Brady during the Patriots' 38-24 Week 1 victory over the Miami Dolphins. It was the 12th consecutive play for the Patriots, tied for longest play from scrimmage, and the first for the Patriots. In an eight-catch attempt for 160 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns, the play accounted for the majority of Welker's yards.

Welker set a new career high in Week 3 of the Patriots' 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, receiving 16 receptions for 217 yards and two touchdowns. In so doing, he tied wide receiver Troy Brown's franchise record of 16 receptions in a single game and tied Terry Glenn's franchise record of 214 yards, which was first established in 1999. Welker's 64th straight-season game with a reception (i.e., in every game he's played so far as a Patriot), put an end to Ben Coates' record of 63 games (set 1992 to 1996). It was Welker's second game with at least 15 receptions, a feat previously only accomplished by Brandon Marshall with the Denver Broncos.

Welker caught five passes for 124 yards, including a 73-yard catch-and-run in which Welker defeated Eric Smith and was chased down by Darrelle Revis at the eight-yard line in Week 5, which was the Patriots' victory over the New York Jets.

Welker's 100th reception of the season was held in Week 14 against the Washington Redskins, tying the NFL record for both Marvin Harrison and Jerry Rice. With his ninth receiving touchdown, he set a new personal record. Welker had 12 receptions for 138 yards in the Patriots' Week 16 rematch against the Dolphins, bringing him to a franchise-record 1,518 yards, defeating Randy Moss' 2007 record of 1,493 yards.

Welker led the NFL in receptions, receiving yards, yards per game, and first downs for first downs, and we were ranked in the top five in receiving touchdowns and receptions of 20 yards or more through 15 games. He finished the season with 122 receptions (tied for fourth-most touchdown in NFL history), 1,569 receiving yards and 98.5 yards per game (both second to Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions), and 77 receptions for first down (tied with Johnson for first down). He had a career-high nine touchdown receptions. For the second time in his career, he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time and received First Team All-Pro honors.

In the 45-0 victory over the Denver Broncos, he had six receptions for 55 receiving yards and a touchdown. He had six receptions for 53 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship. In a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots took on the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI. Welker had seven catches for 60 yards in the Super Bowl, but the Patriots lost to the Giants again, this time by a score of 21–17. Welker missed a pass with both hands on the ball late in the fourth quarter with just over four minutes remaining, with the Patriots up 17-17 and on the Giants' 44-yard line. Welker was near the Giants' 20-yard line. The Patriots were compelled to punt and kick off the Giants' eventual game-winning drive. He was ranked 23rd by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

Welker tied former Patriots receiver Troy Brown's franchise record for receptions against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 for three touchdowns. In a narrow 31–30 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, he had eight receptions for 142 yards in Week 3. He had ten receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown on October 14, the Seattle Seahawks' 24–23 loss. Welker, a 20-year-old fan of the Miami Dolphins, set the NFL record for the most games with 10 or more receptions, tying him with 49ers legend and Hall of Famer Jerry Rice during his Week 13 game against the Miami Dolphins. It was his 17th game that he had to do it. He also set the NFL record for most games with ten or more catches and 100 or more yards. With his 16th appearance, he leapt ahead of Jerry Rice and Andre Johnson. He finished the 2012 season with 118 receptions for 1,354 receiving yards and six touchdowns. With 118, second in receptions behind Detroit's Calvin Johnson, he finished the season tied for second in receptions with Chicago Bears receiver Brandon Marshall for second. Welker received his fifth Pro Bowl nomination.

Welker won by eight receptions for 131 yards in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans, who had eight receptions for 131 receiving yards. In the 28-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, he had eight receptions for 117 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. He ranked 44th out of his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

Welker had more passes since joining the Patriots in 2007-2012 and 2012, and ranked in the top five in yardage. Welker played in only 70 games with the Patriots, a NFL record. Welker holds the franchise record for consecutive games with receptions, despite the fact that he appeared in every game, even in the postseason. Welker holds the all-time Patriots franchise record for receptions, putting down 79 games in comparison to Troy Brown, who played more than twice as many games as a Patriot (192 regular-season games). Welker ranks third in receiving yards behind Stanley Morgan and Rob Gronkowski.

Welker's two-year, $12 million deal with the Denver Broncos began on March 13, 2013. Welker and the New England Patriots were unable to commit to a long-term deal, which led to Welker's signing with Denver.

Welker had nine receptions for 67 yards and two touchdowns in his Broncos debut in the 49-27 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on NBC Sunday Night Football. He was one of a single-game record seven thrown by quarterback Peyton Manning. He had seven receptions for 76 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 52-20. Welker had more touchdowns in Week 11 than he had with New England for the entire season (six), as many as he had with the Patriots in any season (nine). In eight of the first ten games of the 2013 season, he had a touchdown pass.

Welker was struck in the chest early in the second quarter and his neck bent awkwardly on the play during Week 14. In Week 11, Welker sustained a concussion against the Kansas City Chiefs. He did not play for the remainder of the season. Welker was a member of the Broncos' historic offense, which saw five players score at least ten touchdowns on the season.

Welker was cleared to participate in the Broncos' Divisional Round playoff game against the San Diego Chargers on December 30, the day after Denver's 34-14 victory over the Oakland Raiders. In the Divisional Round, he had six receptions for 38 yards and a touchdown. Welker won his third AFC Championship title and Super Bowl appearance on January 19, after assisting the Broncos in defeating his former team, the New England Patriots, 26–16. In the victory, Welker had four receptions for 38 yards. In Super Bowl XLVIII, the Broncos lost 43–8 to the Seattle Seahawks. In the loss, he had eight catches for 84 yards, his third straight loss for Welker in the Super Bowl. He was ranked 73rd by his peers on the 2014 NFL Top 100 Players.

After being struck by Houston Texans safety D. J. Swearinger during a third preseason game on August 23, Welker was diagnosed with a concussion. Welker's third in ten months was the concussion. After failing a drug test due to amphetamines, Welker was suspended for the first four games of the 2014 NFL season for breaking the league's success-enhancing drug policy. Welker's suspension was lifted as a result of the NFL's new drug policy on September 12. Welker made his Super Bowl debut in Week 3, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 26–20 in overtime, a rematch of last year's Super Bowl rematch. Welker got the most receptions by an undrafted player in NFL history on October 5, beating the Arizona Cardinals in Week 5 on October 5. Welker scored his first touchdown of the season on Week 7 against the San Francisco 49ers, beating Brett Favre for the first time in NFL history. He had 49 receptions for 464 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns during the 2014 season. In the Divisional Round against the Indianapolis Colts, he had a 20-yard reception in the 24–13 loss. Welker did not re-sign with the Broncos and became a free agent.

The St. Louis Rams announced Welker's one-year, $1.8 million deal, which included incentives, on November 9, 2015. He appeared in eight games but started none, and the Rams had 13 receptions for 102 yards in the 2015 season. Welker's last season as a player was in the NFL in 2015. In 2017, he said he had resigned in 2017.

Coaching career

Welker started coaching and was hired by the Houston Texans as an offensive assistant and special teams assistant under head coach Bill O'Brien on January 30, 2017.

Welker was hired by the San Francisco 49ers to be their wide receivers coach under new head coach Kyle Shanahan on February 27, 2019.

Welker's inaugural coaching staff with the Miami Dolphins in February 2022 selected Mike McDaniel, the former offensive coordinator for the 49ers, to be the wide receivers coach on McDaniel's inaugural coaching staff.

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