John Wendling
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Career Summary
John Wendling was a Wyoming safety selected by Buffalo in the 2007 NFL Draft who played 110 regular-season games for the Bills and Lions.
NFL statistics record Wendling in 46 games for Buffalo and 64 games for Detroit, with 115 defensive tackles, one interception and one pass defensed.
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Early Life
Wendling was born in Cody, Wyoming, and grew up in Rock Springs.
Wyoming’s Hall of Fame profile described Wendling as a Wyoming native who considered Laramie a second home because of his family’s connection to the university.
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High School
Wendling starred at Rock Springs High School in Wyoming.
Wyoming’s profile identifies Rock Springs as Wendling’s hometown high school and his connection to the program as a homegrown Cowboy.
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College Career
At Wyoming, Wendling recorded 259 tackles, seven interceptions and 14 passes defended in 44 career games.
He was a team captain and first-team All-Mountain West selection as a senior, when he led the Cowboys with 78 tackles. His college career included the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl win over UCLA and two wins over Mississippi.
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Path to the NFL
Buffalo selected Wendling in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
Wyoming’s Hall of Fame profile and Lions media-guide material identify Wendling as a sixth-round Bills pick. His pre-draft profile drew attention after he cleared a 66-inch hurdle in a Wyoming workout.
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NFL Career
Wendling played three seasons with Buffalo and four with Detroit, appearing in every regular-season game from 2008 through 2013.
NFL records show he played 16 games in each of the 2008 through 2013 seasons. Detroit re-signed Wendling as an unrestricted free agent in July 2011.
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Career Accomplishments
Wendling earned Wyoming Hall of Fame recognition for a college career that paired football success with national academic honors.
Wyoming named him a 2025 Athletics Hall of Fame inductee. He also received a second-team Academic All-America selection in 2006 after carrying a 3.43 cumulative GPA in business administration.
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Playing Style
Wendling was a versatile, hard-hitting safety whose special-teams value carried into the NFL.
Wyoming said he could play centerfield, support the run and work at either safety position. Buffalo highlighted his punt-coverage work, while Wyoming’s later profile described him as a special-teams standout with the Bills.
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Legacy
Wendling’s career combined hometown Wyoming leadership, academic recognition and seven durable NFL seasons.
His collegiate performance earned Hall of Fame induction, while his NFL résumé included 110 games and a sustained special-teams role.
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Post-Career
After football, Wendling began a wheat-farming operation and became a loan portfolio manager for the Wyoming Business Council.
Wyoming reported in 2025 that Wendling was living in Sheridan and working as the Wyoming Business Council’s loan portfolio manager.
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Sources for this section
21730, 00-0025571, 1983-06-04, John Wendling, John, Wendling
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