Clemson Kicker Puts Financial Career, NYC Move On Hold After Dabo Swinney Calls Him Out Of Retirement

Dabo Swinney needed a field goal kicker this week in the worst way. So, the Clemson head coach decided to reach out to a guy who had already retired from football. All it took was a phone call, and Jonathan Weitz was back on the Clemson football team.

Weitz had his life already planned out, with a job in New York City waiting on him. He hadn't kicked a football since the spring, but was still taking online classes towards his masters degree at Clemson. In reality, Jonathan Weitz had retired from football, but the former Tiger was about to receive a phone call that would change his plans.

Due to struggling in the first three games of the season, Robert Gunn needed some competition at the kicker position. Dabo knew that he needed a backup plan, but also someone he could rely on. Swinney was told that Weitz was still enrolled at Clemson, taking online classes while living in Charleston.

It wasn't as if this was a guy off the streets, as Weitz has been the backup kicker at Clemson from 2019-2022. But his college career was over in his eyes ... until Dabo picked up the phone.

“He gets a call from Coach Swinney on Sunday, ‘Hey, do you want to come kick against the Noles this weekend?’ And he’s just crazy enough to want to do it,” Swinney said. “Might be what we need right now.”

Towards the end of the first quarter on Saturday against Florida State, Weitz had already drilled one field goal to give Clemson the early lead. But there was a timing issue that put this game into flux.

Jonathan Weitz Had To Go Through 'Acclimatization Period

If Dabo Swinney had called Jonathan just one day later, he wouldn't have been kicking today against Florida State. The NCAA requires a new player to go through a certain number of days to get re-acclimated to the football. It just so happens that the first day Weitz could become a 'live' player was today against the Seminoles.

CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 19: Jonathan Weitz #41 of the Clemson Tigers lines up an extra point kick against the Miami Hurricanes in the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

Even though he had already signed a lease for an apartment in New York City, Dabo Swinney was hopeful his new boss would understand that Clemson needed a kicker through January.

“Hopefully, they still got a job for him in January,” Swinney said this week. “We’re going to Syracuse next week. Maybe he can moonlight while we’re up there.”

Heck, Jonathan didn't even have enough time to let his parents know, calling them on the way back down to Clemson. After kicking a few balls on a local practice field, Weitz let Dabo know he was ready to go, and the Tigers got him back on the squad.

Now, with a career in the financial sector put on hold, Jonathan Weitz is on national television kicking field goals for Clemson.

That's one way to extend your college career.