TENAFLY – Former Giants and Jets punter Steve Weatherford and his wife Laura are being sued for nearly $60,000 in back rent and for alleged damage to a home where they lived, according to court papers filed in Bergen County Superior Court.
The Weatherfords signed an 11-month lease in July 2015 for a six-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath Colonial-style home with a three-car garage on Windsor Road in Tenafly, the suit alleges.
The couple agreed to pay owners Douglas and Marlene Meyer an annual rent of $77,000, with $7,000 due the first day of each month, according to the lease, which was included with the suit filed Jan. 23 in Hackensack.
Weatherford played for the Jets in 2009, and became a fan favorite during four seasons with the Giants until his release in 2014. He was reunited with the Jets for a single game in 2015, and released after that.
During his career, Weatherford garnered a reputation as one of the hardest-working and philanthropical players in the league, posting a heartfelt message hours after being cut.
Contacted Monday, he said he has been vacationing with his wife for their wedding anniversary and had not seen the lawsuit.
“Our attorneys are taking care of it,” he said.
The couple, both 34, moved into the house on Aug. 1, 2015 and failed to make further rent payments, according to the suit.
In addition, the suit alleges Steve Weatherford bounced a check for $14,000 meant to cover the rent for December 2015 and January 2016.
“Said check was returned for insufficient funds,” the suit alleges.
The landlords kept the Weatherford’s $10,500 deposit and applied it to the past due rent, the suit states.
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When the Weatherfords moved out on Oct. 31, 2016, the owners discovered $8,335 worth of damages, the suit claims.
Damages included “defacement of walls, kitchen cabinets, windows, fireplace and hardwood floors with stickers,” along with nail polish stains in two bathrooms, a broken toilet seat and an off-the-hinge bedroom door “causing scratches on the hardwood floors,” the suit states.
The suit claims the owners replaced the basement carpet “due to urine stains by dog.” The dog also chewed molding and scratched up the front door, the suit claims.
“Pets were not allowed,” the lawsuit states.
In a Jan. 5 letter, Hackensack attorney Socrates Lambrinides demanded damages and back rent.
“This amount ($8,335) and the past due rent of $70,000 must be paid within 10 days or I am authorized to commence a lawsuit,” Lambrinides stated in the letter to the Weatherfords. The lawsuit was filed 18 days later.
Lambrinides called the lawsuit “a simple contract dispute” and declined to comment further.
Last year, Weatherford placed his Hoboken home on the market for $1.8 million.
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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