Dennis Weathersby

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Dennis Weathersby (born June 16, 1980) is a former American football cornerback who played for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL. He played college football at Oregon State University, where he started 45 games and set a school record with 57 passes deflected. He earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors for four straight years.

Weathersby was drafted in 2003 in the fourth round (98th overall) by the Bengals, joining fellow Oregon State players Chad Johnson and T. J. Houshmandzadeh. Just before the draft, he was shot in the back in a gang-related incident when he and a friend were mistaken for gang members by the Du Roc Crips. He recovered, but injuries limited him to four games as a rookie.

In April 2004, he was in a car accident that put him in a coma. He eventually woke and showed remarkable progress. The Bengals released him before the 2005 season, believing he would not play again. Doctors reportedly cleared him to resume work in May 2006, and he talked about a possible comeback.

In March 2008, he said he did not want to risk another injury and decided to step away from professional football to follow his religious beliefs.