Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater saw his career altered by a major injury in 2018. But the 32-year-old has found success in retirement, leading his alma mater to a state championship in Florida and perhaps paving the way to a return to the NFL.
Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern High School to a 41-0 victory over Raines High School in the Class 3A state championship game on Saturday, capturing the school’s first state title since 2019.
While it was the highlight of a dominant season, it also opened the door to a second act that could put Bridgewater on an NFL coaching staff next season.
Teddy Bridgewater is one of the biggest “what ifs” in Minnesota Vikings history
Bridgewater was selected with the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft and was anointed the Vikings’ quarterback of the future by head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman.
The Louisville product was thrown into the fire in his rookie season, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 2,919 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while leading Minnesota to a 6-6 record. But Bridgewater made the Pro Bowl and led the Vikings to an NFC North championship in 2015, completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
While Bridgewater didn’t post gaudy numbers, he spent his first two years throwing to Greg Jennings, Mike Wallace, and Charles Johnson as his top targets. There was also a sense of optimism heading into the 2016 season until Bridgewater suffered a dislocated kneecap and several knee ligaments, including his ACL, during an August practice.
Bridgewater’s injury forced him to miss the entire 2016 season and appear in one game toward the end of the 2017 season before signing with the New York Jets as a free agent. A few months later, he was traded to the New Orleans Saints during training camp, and Bridgewater went on to play a total of nine seasons, spending time with the Vikings, Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit Lions.
Bridgewater’s NFL playing career may have ended prematurely, but he may have opened the door for a second act after recently leading Miami Northwestern to the state title.
The Bulls were dominant with a 12-2 record this season and outscored their opponents 262-12 on their way to the championship. But they also ran into trouble when the Florida High School Athletic Association received an allegation that Northwestern had used a fifth-year player after the regional quarterfinals.
Northwestern was cleared of the allegations two weeks later but The Palm Beach Post reported that Bridgewater complained about Miami-Dade Public Schools restrictive policies during the early signing period. A post on Bridgewater’s X account a few weeks ago also suggested his run would be one and done as he expressed his excitement to return to the NFL.
Bridgewater didn’t confirm his future on Saturday, but a possible return to the NFL is interesting. With teams investing more in the quarterback position, perhaps he could land a quarterback coaching job as early as next season if he wanted.
Returning to Minnesota could even be a possibility if current Vikings quarterback coach Josh McCown leaves for a head coaching job next year.
Whatever it is, Bridgewater is already on the track for success after his playing career, which is a great sign for a player whose career was turned upside down in 2016.