A Minnesota Vikings legend might be coming to the end of his NFL career.
While speaking to the media, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell announced that quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has informed the team that he is stepping away, with retirement most likely next. Bridgewater signed with the Lions in the offseason after spending 2023 and 2024 with the team. Last year, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Vikings selected Bridgewater in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to replace Christian Ponder. In 30 games, he threw for 6,150 yards and 28 touchdowns to 22 interceptions, going 17-11 as the starter. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015
Former Minnesota Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater most likely to retire from football
Bridgewater's career in Minnesota will be more defined by the injuries he suffered. He took a massive hit to the head in one game and also had a horrific non-contact ACL injury in 2016 that cost him nearly two years of football.
He continued on as a backup, but got some starting opportunities with the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos in 2020 and 2021. That was sparked by going 5-0 as the New Orleans Saints' starter in 2019.
His run with the Panthers and Broncos did not go as well, though, going 11-18 as the starter in those two years. Bridgewater finishes his career with a 33-32 record, throwing for 15,182 yards and 75 touchdowns to 47 interceptions
While his NFL career is one that was mostly a disappointment, he was beloved by his teammates and fan bases wherever he went. Bridgewater got a standing ovation in his first game back from that ACL injury with the Vikings in 2017, showing the love and respect he got from fans.
Most likely, the next step for Bridgewater is getting into coaching, as he was a head coach of a high school football team before returning to play in the NFL last year. Watch for him to search for and land another head coaching job elsewhere.
Bridgewater might get forgotten about in conversations about NFL quarterbacks. Still, he made a big enough impact for Minnesota that he should be talked about within the fan base. He proved to be a winner and was the definition of a great teammate and teacher of the game. While he's not likely to take the field anymore, Vikings fans can enjoy the idea that he'll be back on the sidelines soon enough.
Add us as a preferred source on Google