Teddy Bridgewater Set To Retire, Become High School Football Coach

Teddy Bridgewater is hanging up the cleats. After this season, of course.

The Detroit Lions quarterback told the Detroit Free Press he plans to retire after 10 years in the NFL. He wants to become a high school football coach and focus on being a father to his two sons.

"Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant," Bridgewater said. "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."

Teddy Bridgewater was the No. 32 overall draft pick in 2014. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

A first-round pick in 2014 by the Vikings, Bridgewater suffered a non-contact ACL tear in a training camp practice just before the 2016 season — derailing his career. He became a journeyman after that.

After 2017, he signed with the Jets. He then was traded to the Saints before the start of the 2018 season. He spent two years with the Saints, one with the Panthers (as the Week 1 starter), one with the Broncos (as the Week 1 starter), and one with the Dolphins (as the primary backup) before coming to Detroit.

"When I got hurt, I realized that I'm only a football player for three hours on a Sunday afternoon," Bridgewater said.

"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 . 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."

Theodore Bridgewater is enjoying his final season.

Backing up Jared Goff, Bridgewater's only appearance for the Lions was to kneel out a victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 5.

As Detroit (9-4) plays its way toward (presumably) its first playoff berth since 2016, the 31 year old is just soaking it all in.

The Lions currently lead the NFC North at 9-4. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

"Everyone sees the wins and losses, and it's the small victories, the daily victories that take place in this locker room," he said. "You talk about a team that is young, quick to run to their phones after practice, after games, and you see guys like mingling and just having conversations. Pingpong, card table, cornhole. Guys sitting on the couch. Like, that's what it's about.

"That's the league that I came into, and I'm happy that I get to just see and be a part of this great locker room."

Bridgewater has thrown for 15,120 yards and 75 touchdowns over his NFL career. He made the Pro Bowl in 2015 and won the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in 2020.

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