The Minnesota Vikings drafted Teddy Bridgewater with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, thanks to late-night day one trade up that sent the Vikings’ No. 40 (2nd Rd) and No. 108 (4th rd) picks to the Seattle Seahawks, in return for the final pick in the first round.
Thus began the Teddy Bridgewater Era in Minnesota. His reign lasted only two years, after a torn ACL lit his 2016 on fire and never gave him a chance to spread his QB1 wings as general manager Rick Spielman had intended, when the Vikings drafted him.
In recent years, however, Teddy has been in and out of the NFL, in part due to a newfound passion for coaching the game he loves so much. In his first season as a high school coach, at his alma mater, Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern to a Florida Class 3A State Championship.
At just 32-years-old, Teddy Bridgewater hasn’t retired. Right after winning the state title, he signed with the Detroit Lions to backup Jared Goff during the Kitties’ playoff run.
Since then, the 10-year NFL veteran is on record saying he wants to continue playing and coaching. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that will be allowed to happen this season.
Teddy Bridgewater suspended from coaching and not taking it well
According to his own Facebook post, Bridgewater is being suspended as a high school football coach. The official reasoning behind his suspension is distributing illegal benefits to his players. Teddy says he isn’t being suspended by Florida State High School League, though.
Instead, administrators at the high school he coaches for, Miami Northwestern, self-reported the alleged malfeasances, then levied the suspension on Bridgewater themselves. And if you believe the former MN Vikings QB, the entire thing is just a coup attempt on his seat as Miami Northwestern’s head football coach.
Damn people done caused all this confusion. Got a phone call tonight and it’s no real investigation going on.. I told you I have to be an employee to be investigated. Now the paperwork thing still stands but there was no investigation… We SELF REPORTED..
Verne and his Admnistrative homeboys want me gone apparently and tried to hire one of my dawgs like bro wasn’t gone lace me up… The suspension came from MNW and it’s impossible to suspend someone who doesn’t work for you. So if im suspended from MNW im free to go to another school of my choice but IM NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.
This my last post about this bs.
Teddy Bridgewater Facebook post (embedded above)
In previous posts on his personal Facebook page, Teddy Bridgewater writes about paying for Uber rides and other benefits for his players last season, then asks for others to donate to the cause. Clearly, he wasn’t hiding anything.
Whether or not his actions were technically illegal, we do not know for sure, since his suspension was handed down by the school and not any sort of governing commission. If you ask Teddy, those who reported the QB/HC, and then suspended him, want Bridgewater out. And clearly, he’s not going down without a fight.
Teddy Bridgewater: “What could have been” with Minnesota Vikings
When Teddy Bridgewater was drafted in the 2014 offseason, the Minnesota Vikings organization was in the middle of a major facelift. Rick Spielman had taken full control of the front office, by this time, and just hired Mike Zimmer as the new head coach, earlier that offseason.
Oh, and U.S. Bank Stadium was in full development at this time, after the Wilfs & Co. spent years politicking and jumping through bureaucratic hoops in order to get the massive project fully approved and funded. Still it took snow cave-ins at the Metrodome in order to force the City of Minneapolis’ hand.
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As we now know, the $1 billion stadium was completed in time for the 2016 NFL season. By then, Teddy had already logged two years as the Minnesota Vikings starter — posting 6,150 yards, 28 touchdowns and 21 interceptions on 64.9% passing.
But going into his third year in the league, Bridgewater was showing signs of a young quarterback who was ready to take the next step. He got fans really excited during the Vikings third preseason game that year, when he tossed with ease against the then San Diego Chargers defense, finishing 12-of-16 for 161 yards and a 127.3 passer rating.
Final three plays for Teddy Bridgewater this preseason came Sunday vs. Chargers. Impressive. pic.twitter.com/JwSV3afg5G
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 30, 2016
Unfortunately, shortly after an impressive preseason performance against the Falcons in the Minnesota Vikings’ brand new Zygi Palace, Bridgewater blew out his knee during a reportedly non-contact, and still somewhat mysterious, practice accident just days before the regular season was about to open.
Shortly after, the Vikings traded a future 1st round pick for Sam Bradford, who impressed in Minnesota when healthy, but that wasn’t very often. Bridgewater in returned in 2017 after a year of recovery from his torn ACL, but he never again reached the same QB1 status he had coming out of that 2016 preseason.
Teddy Bridgewater remains a beloved figure around the NFL, and he previously committed to continuing his playing career, even while coaching his former high school team. Teddy “Two Gloves” isn’t on an NFL roster as of now, but this suspension could make it more likely he’s present at training camp somewhere by next week.
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