Former Minnesota Vikings and current Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is reportedly set to retire after the season, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Bridgewater has served as the Lions backup behind Jared Goff this season and told Birkett that he plans to coach high school football after he retires next fall.
“Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant,” Bridgewater told Birkett. “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.”
Bridgewater was a first-round pick by the Vikings in 2014 and led Minnesota to a NFC North championship in 2015, before suffering a career-threatening injury weeks before the 2016 season. Bridgewater returned in 2017 and signed with the New York Jets in 2018, and subsequently spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins.
Bridgewater told Birkett that his knee was not a factor in his decision to retire after the season and he considered retirement after the 2022 season. While Bridgewater is enjoying his time with the Lions, who are seeking their first playoff appearance since 2016 and their first division title since 1993, he is also focused on life after football and the impact he can make off the field.
“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 [anymore]. 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.”
