Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater made a unique football move in 2024: He retired after spending the 2023 season with the Lions, coached a high school football team in Florida in 2024, and then returned to the Lions roster in late December.
Bridgewater, upon returning to Detroit, said he wasn’t coming back to professional football just to have a spot on any NFL roster, telling reporters it was “Lions or bust.”
Bridgewater is starting quarterback Jared Goff’s backup for the Lions’ playoff game Saturday against the Washington Commanders, with third-stringer Hendon Hooker as the emergency option.
Around the league, Bridgewater has developed a reputation as a good teammate and locker room presence.
Here’s what to know about Bridgewater:
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How old is Teddy Bridgewater?
Bridgewater is 32 years old and will turn 33 in November. He was born in 1992. He’s from Miami, Florida.
Where did Teddy Bridgewater go to college?
Bridgewater was a standout quarterback at Louisville, where he started for the Cardinals from 2011-13. In 39 career games at Louisville, Bridgewater threw for 9,817 yards and 72 touchdowns. Bridgewater was named the Big East rookie of the year in 2011 and Big East offensive player of the year in 2012.
Where was Teddy Bridgewater drafted?
Bridgewater was the 32nd overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft, when he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings. He was the third quarterback selected that year, after the Jacksonville Jaguars picked Central Florida’s Blake Bortles third overall and the Cleveland Browns took Johnny Manziel out of Texas A&M with the 22nd pick.
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How many NFL teams has Teddy Bridgewater played for?
Bridgewater has played for six different franchises. Between getting drafted by Minnesota and signing with Detroit, Bridgewater suited up for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins.
What was Teddy Bridgewater’s knee injury?
When Bridgewater was on the VIkings, he suffered a dislocated knee and complete tear of his left anterior cruciate ligament during a training camp practice before the 2016 season. He missed the entire year and the start of the 2017 season before returning. But he never got his starting job back.
Teddy Bridgewater coached high school to state title
During his retirement, Bridgewater returned to his native Miami to coach his alma mater Miami Northwestern to a Florida state high school football title, fulfilling a promise he said he made to his community. Bridgewater said he doesn’t have plans to coach at the collegiate or professional levels.
Do the Lions have another QB on the roster?
Bridgewater, since returning, has been expected to be the Lions’ backup to Goff. But the Lions also have another quarterback on the roster in Hooker, a second-year player. The Lions drafted Hooker, 27, in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft out of Tennessee. He made his NFL debut in the preseason last August.
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