A first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014, Bridgewater missed the 2016 and part of the 2017 seasons because of a torn ACL and dislocated knee.
A starter his first two seasons with the Vikings, he now is the backup quarterback to Jared Goff with the Lions — his sixth and final NFL team. He has played just a single snap this season.
‘When I got hurt, I realized that I’m only a football player for three hours on a Sunday afternoon,’ Bridgewater told the Detroit Free Press.
‘Outside of that, I’m Theodore Bridgewater, so it just put everything into perspective, and it really helped me not even have to think about not being a starter (anymore).
‘It’s like, “Man, I still got purpose.” And my purpose is bigger than the game of football. Football is just a platform that I have.’
The quarterback also confirmed his plans post-NFL will center around becoming a high school football coach, and he has no intentions of staying in the big league, because ‘he doesn’t like the hours’.
Bridgewater has spent time with the Saints (2018-19), Carolina Panthers (2020), Denver Broncos (2021) and Miami Dolphins (2022). He started 29 games with the Panthers and Broncos and has a career 33-32 record as a starter.
He has appeared in 79 games and completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 15,120 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.
Coach Dan Campbell said the quarterback has been a valuable mentor to the young and up-and-coming Lions.
‘Teddy’s been unbelievable for a lot of people here,’ Campbell said, per the Free Press. ‘He’s a huge asset for us, aside from the obvious, which is if we need him, he’s a guy that can go in and win for us. But, man, he does so many things behind the scenes that I think a lot of people don’t even realize. He’s a valuable asset for our team.’
Bridgewater said he considered retiring after the 2022 season but was convinced by Campbell to go to Detroit. The Lions, at 9-4, likely are headed to the NFL playoffs.
Bridgewater led the Vikings to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth in his second season, when he earned his lone Pro Bowl selection. Injuries derailed his promising career, but he said he has no regrets.
‘Everything happens for a reason,’ Bridgewater said. ‘Injuries, highs, lows, the success, the failures. It all, it builds character, and that’s what it did for me. Like I never look like, “Oh man, what if?” Nah.
‘Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant. And I’m still with that mindset every day and I’m just really appreciative that I’m in Year 10. I tell everyone this is my last year, so I’m in my final year and I’m just enjoying it all, man.’
