Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended by the high school where he currently coaches, Miami Northwestern, due to providing the players on his team with what the Florida High School Athletic Association has classified as impermissible benefits.
Some believe the suspension stems from Bridgewater covering the costs of Uber rides, meals, and recovery services for his players, and if this is the case, then it's completely ridiculous.
The former Vikings quarterback confirmed the suspension in a Facebook post on Sunday and made it clear that he has no intention of coaching for any other high school besides Miami Northwestern.
Former Minnesota Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater handed absurd suspension by Miami Northwestern Senior High School
According to the Miami Herald's Walter Villa, Bridgewater spent $700 for Uber rides, $2,200 for pregame meals, and $1,300 for athletic-recovery services per week for his players last year. Despite the good intentions of the former Minnesota first-round pick, these acts violate Florida High School Athletic Association rules.
Villa added that FHSAA rules state that "a coach cannot provide free or reduced-cost transportation to a student, nor can they purchase anything for a student."
Bridgewater was hired to be the head coach of Miami Northwestern's football program in 2024, shortly after announcing his retirement from the NFL (which he later changed his mind about).
In his first season in charge of the school's varsity football team, he helped lead them to a 12-2 record and a state championship.
Bridgewater first entered the NFL back in 2014 when the Vikings used a first-round draft pick on him. He went on to start 28 games for Minnesota before suffering a severe knee injury prior to the start of the 2016 season.
That injury ultimately resulted in the end of his tenure with the Vikings; however, he still went on to spend another seven years in the league with several teams, including the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers, and Detroit Lions.