Remember Wes Welker? He was one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL while playing with Tom Brady. But what’s he up to these days? Let’s check in the New England Patriots' all-time leader in receptions.
Where are former Patriots now? WR Wes Welker (2007-2012)
Since hanging up his cleats, Welker has made the jump to the coaching ranks. Last season, he was the wide receiver coach for the Miami Dolphins. But in January, the team announced that Welker would be one of multiple coaches fired after a disappointing 2024 campaign.
Welker remains on the coaching market and has yet to find a landing spot. He was recently in consideration for the Patriots' wide receiver coach job under Mike Vrabel.
As MassLive reported last week, Welker interviewed for the job. However, New England ultimately went with former Titans offensive coordinator Todd Downing.
The 43-year-old Welker last appeared in an NFL game in 2015 and never formally announced his retirement. Instead, it took him a couple of years to publicly acknowledge that he would no longer play.
Welker started his coaching career with the Texans as an offensive assistant. He then spent 2019-2021 as the wide receivers coach from the 49ers before landing with the Dolphins in 2022.
At 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, Welker was initially overlooked as a player, going undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2004. He initially landed with the Chargers before heading to Miami, where he was a special teamer early on before working his way into the offensive gameplan.
By 2006, Welker had become a productive slot receiver, catching 67 passes for 687 yards.
In 2007, the Patriots made a big move by trading a second-round pick and a seventh-round pick to the Dolphins for Welker. Partnered with Tom Brady in New England, Welker became one of the league’s most productive players.
Welker caught a whopping 672 passes for 7,459 yards over six seasons in New England, leading the NFL in receptions three times. Welker was a two-time First-Team All-Pro and a five-time Pro Bowler during that stretch.
Welker played in two Super Bowls with New England, losing both times. While he’s remembered as an elite player, his critical drop late in Super Bowl XLVI remains one of the more painful moments of that era in New England.
In 2013, Welker left the Patriots in free agency to play for the Denver Broncos. Playing alongside Peyton Manning, Welker immediately made an impact, catching 73 passes for 778 yards in 2013.
Welker spent two seasons in Denver before finishing out his career with the Rams in 2015. In St. Louis, he played in eight games, catching 13 passes for 102 yards.
In 2024, Welker returned to Gillette Stadium in a public capacity as he attended Brady’s induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame -- even though he was coaching for a division rival at the take. Later in 2024, Welker was inducted into the Texas Tech Ring of Honor.
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