Former NFL player warned Michigan about Bryce Underwood: ‘The truth hurts’

Former NFL player cautioned Michigan concerning Bryce Underwood: 'The truth hurts'.

Key points

• Underwood was benched at halftime of Saturday's win at Penn State with the Wolverines trailing 3-0 and Underwood tossing two interceptions.
• In May, Eric Weddle predicted the Wolverines would create a quarterback switch during an appearance on the "Zero 2 Sixty" podcast.
• "I ended up being right, " Weddle informed the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, during a phone interview on Monday, Oct.
• When he brought his son Gaige, a four-star safety, on a recruiting visit to Ann Arbor, weddle had seen Underwood up close in practice during early April.
• Michigan football keeping QB intends quiet, but there's a "plan in place" heading into Indiana showdown, coach Kyle Whittingham stated Oct.

Former NFL player cautioned Michigan concerning Bryce Underwood: 'The truth hurts'. Matthew Glenesk, Rainer Sabin USA TODAY. Kyle Whittingham discussions concerning Michigan's QB plan against Indiana.

Michigan football keeping QB intends quiet, but there's a "plan in place" heading into Indiana showdown, coach Kyle Whittingham stated Oct. 19, 2026.

Michigan benching Bryce Underwood seemed inevitable due to the sophomore's poor play this season and the Wolverines' offensive ineptitude through its stumbling start to the Kyle Whittingham era.

But one former NFL standout called Underwood's benching far before a snap was taken this season.

"Don't be surprised if the backup is playing early because that Underwood kid, you know, I don't think he could throw or play quarterback, " Weddle remarked then.

HAYES: Michigan wasted millions on Bryce Underwood. Its best QB cost almost nothing.

MYERBERG: Michigan knows what Bryce Underwood is. It's time to move on.

Underwood was benched at halftime of Saturday's win at Penn State with the Wolverines trailing 3-0 and Underwood tossing two interceptions. Freshman Tommy Carr came in and led Michigan to a 21-18 win as the Wolverines scored more points in the second half against Penn State than it had in the three previous Power conference games this season.

"I ended up being right, " Weddle informed the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, during a phone interview on Monday, Oct. 19.

When he brought his son Gaige, a four-star safety, on a recruiting visit to Ann Arbor, weddle had seen Underwood up close in practice during early April. The Wolverines had offered Gaige a scholarship shortly after Whittingham took over in December. It wasn't surprising considering 41-year-old Eric had once played at Utah under Michigan's new coach. As Eric watched Underwood, he noticed that the rising sophomore, ranked the No. 1 overall high school player in the 2025 class, couldn't consistently deliver simple, rhythm-based passes.

"I'm not happy that he got benched, " Weddle remarked. "But I saw what I saw, and the truth hurts. I don't know what else to say. I don't like being right. But if I saw something egregious from the quarterback position, don't be mad since I pointed it out. What I saw wasn't good enough. And so it ultimately came true."

Whittingham refused to name a starter for Michigan's game this weekend against Indiana, but it'll be hard to pick Underwood over Carr, regardless of the documented $12 million rate tag.

"We saw good stuff out of Tommy in that second half, and we know exactly what we're doing and the plan going forward, " Whittingham remarked Monday. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, former NFL player warned Michigan about Bryce Underwood: 'The truth hurts' is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.