Teddy Bridgewater announces decision to unretire, set to rejoin Detroit as backup to Jared Goff
Teddy Bridgewater retired in 2023 and became the HC of a high school before making his decision to return.
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Teddy Bridgewater (via New York Post)
It is common to see players retire after playing for a few seasons in the NFL. This could be due to personal reasons such as their health or their career not progressing in the way they had hoped for it too. It is rare to see players unretire after walking away from the game, but when an athlete believes he still has some gas left in the tank, it is better to take the leap of faith rather than regret it later.
Teddy Bridgewater is taking that leap of faith. The quarterback who was drafted in 2014 by the Minnesota Vikings and played for six different teams up until 2023 when he decided to hang it up has decided to return to the NFL. Bridgewater announced his decision on NFL Network last week but it was unclear what team was willing to sign him.
The 32-year-old retired as a Detroit Lion and unsurprisingly, he has chosen to return to the same team in the capacity of a backup quarterback to Jared Goff. His return comes at a time when the 13-2 Lions are regarded as the best team in the NFL but have been plagued by injuries.
Comeback: High school state championship-winning coach and NFL QB Teddy Bridgewater is coming out of retirement and is expected to sign with the #Lions, sources tell The Insiders.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2024
Bridgewater appeared on @nflnetwork and revealed his plans to play again. Back to Detroit. pic.twitter.com/McMOR7jELD
Teddy Bridgewater will be a reliable player for the Lions to fall back on if Jared Goff were to be injured
The quarterback forayed into coaching after he retired from the NFL. He was the Head Coach at Miami Northwestern and under his guidance, the team went on to finish the season strong with a 12-2 record and won the FHSAA Class 3A Championship. The tenure as the Head Coach did not suffice for Bridgewater who wanted to be back as an athlete.
For now, it remains unclear if he will be a part of the team’s active roster or practice squad. With Hendon Hooker backing up Goff currently, the Lions will not be in any urgency to activate Bridgewater until they are convinced he is ready.
Head Coach Dan Campbell has been in contact with Bridgewater for some time and he is excited at the prospect of having a veteran in his QB room.
To be able to add somebody back here that’s got experience. He’s staying in shape, he’s throwing. It just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, somebody that’s great for our team. He’s great for the position…
Dan Campbell said
Bridgewater was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 draft. He went on to play for the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, and the Detroit Lions. He has over 15,000 yards, 75 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions to his credit.
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Sumedh Joshi
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