This week, Teddy Bridgewater was named the head coach at Miami Northwestern High School. He played there. Now, he’s the head coach. It’s a beautiful thing.
If you’d asked me in early August 2016 where Bridgewater would be in early February 2024, I would’ve said that he’d be leading the Minnesota Vikings to their next Super Bowl win. Everything felt so right for player and team at that time. Mike Zimmer was happy. The ornery coach loved football and finally had his own team. His team was guided by perhaps the only quarterback Zimmer ever loved. Every Vikings quarterback that followed had an impossible task. Following Teddy Bridgewater. Zimmer loves Teddy. Everyone loves Teddy. The Vikings were coming off a 2015 season that ended with a playoff game they should’ve won. A playoff game decided by a missed 27-yard field goal. Everything felt promising about the 2016 Minnesota Vikings. Then, tragedy. About a week before the promising season, Bridgewater’s knee exploded during a practice as he was taking a snap from center. Everything changed for player, coach, and team in that dreadful moment.
Teddy Bridgewater’s last meaningful snap for the Vikings took place in that playoff game against the Seattle Seahawks on the frozen field of TCF Bank Stadium. The brutal knee injury ended the playing career that Bridgewater was supposed to have. Despite that terrible injury, he managed a ten-year NFL career. It wasn’t the career he was supposed to have but it was the career he had. Along the way, he played for six other teams.
New York Jets
New Orleans Saints
Carolina Panthers
Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins
Detroit Lions
At every stop, he won over teammates, coaches, and fans. He’s quite possibly the most likeable, loveable player I’ve ever known. He’s always smiling, always laughing, always humble, always supportive.
In my mind, Teddy Bridgewater will always be a Minnesota Viking. Excluding that horrible August day in 2016, thinking about Bridgewater always brings a smile. It’s frustrating to think of the football career that he might’ve had. It’s wonderful thinking about the man that he’s always been. It’s so easy to think of him as a high school football coach. It makes me wish that I was an itty-bitty football player for Miami Northwestern. While I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s on a fast coaching track to the NFL, I can easily see a long, happy, coaching life at Miami Northwestern. The kids will be better for it.
Congratulations Teddy Bridgewater.
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