5 best Vikings rookies during the Mike Zimmer era
By Adam Patrick
5. Teddy Bridgewater – QB
Rookie Stats (2014):
- 64.4 completion rate, 2,919 passing yards
- 14 touchdowns, 12 interceptions
- 209 rushing yards, 1 touchdown
Bridgewater’s entire tenure with the Vikings obviously didn’t go as planned. But in his first season with Minnesota, the rookie quarterback showed flashes of why the team traded back into the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to select him.
In his first career NFL start, Bridgewater led the Vikings to a 41-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Minnesota’s rookie quarterback didn’t throw a touchdown during the game but he did finish with 317 passing yards and he ran one in for a score from 13 yards out.
Unfortunately, Bridgewater also suffered a sprained ankle during the matchup against the Falcons and the injury ended up keeping him out of the Vikings’ next game against the Green Bay Packers.
Minnesota’s rookie passer was able to return after the team’s matchup with the Packers though and he remained the Vikings’ starter for the rest of the season.
With Bridgewater in the starting lineup, Minnesota won five of their final nine games and the team’s future looked bright with their young quarterback leading the way. He is actually the only rookie signal-caller to start a game for the Vikings since Mike Zimmer became the team’s head coach in 2014.