A former Detroit Lions quarterback has found himself in a tough spot, though many hope the situation resolves in his favor soon.
The Lions are preparing for the 2025-26 NFL season, but fans are still processing the highs and lows of last year. Detroit’s regular season was impressive, but the team’s playoff run ended abruptly with a stunning loss to the Washington Commanders. While many supporters would rather forget that game, it’s part of the team’s growth.
During the postseason, the Lions brought in a veteran quarterback who had retired, just in case Jared Goff went down. Goff did suffer a brief injury in the playoff matchup against Washington, and that emergency QB stepped in when needed.
That quarterback was Teddy Bridgewater, a seasoned pro who’s played for seven NFL teams, including the Lions. In the Commanders game, he took over briefly when Goff had to exit for a medical evaluation. Sadly, Bridgewater is now suspended from his current college coaching role.
Despite his short stint in Detroit, Bridgewater earned praise for his poise and performance under pressure. Some fans even believed he should’ve stayed in the game. Recently, Bridgewater began coaching at Miami Northwestern, but he’s been suspended due to allegations of giving impermissible benefits.
Bridgewater addressed the situation on Facebook, pushing back on the decision. He wrote that “the suspension came from MNW” and claimed, “you can’t suspend someone who doesn’t work for you.” He added that he’s “free to go to another school” but has no plans to leave.
He emphasized his commitment by saying, “if I have to, I’ll volunteer from the bleachers like I did in 2018 and 2019, when nobody had a problem with it.”
One commenter supported him on Facebook, writing, “We see what this is. You’re walking in purpose, and they can’t handle it. You didn’t break a rule — you broke the cycle. Some don’t like that. The community has your back. Stand strong, Coach Teddy. The kids need you.”
If Bridgewater doesn’t continue coaching at the college level, there’s still a possibility he could return to the NFL, like he did last postseason. But as Nick Halden of Detroit Jock City noted in a July 14 article, “the veteran quarterback left the league to start building a coaching path.”
Bridgewater clearly has a passion for coaching, so with any luck, this situation clears up and he gets the opportunity he’s been working toward.
