Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater may be quickly turning into one of the most popular rookies in the NFL.
According to NFL PR, Bridgewater’s jersey is one of the top five sellers amongst NFL rookies.
Johnnie Manziel, Michael Sam and Jadeveon Clowney are the only three selling faster than Bridgewater’s. Blake Bortles rounds out the top five.
top-selling rookie jerseys @officialnflshop: @JManziel2 @MikeSamFootball @clownejd @teddyb_h2o @BBortles5
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) May 12, 2014
According to The Viking Age, three of the top five in jersey sales are quarterbacks. The other two include Clowney, who was the number one pick, and Sam has earned a lot of national attention after publicly announcing his homosexuality.
Bridgewater has also earned the national spotlight though. He received a lot of media attention while in college and until he struggled on his pro day was regarded as a top five pick in last weekend’s NFL Draft.
According to the Pioneer Press, Bridgewater’s adviser, Abram Elam immediately called Bridgewater’s mother when he heard the news of the brisk jersey sales.
“She was surprised,” Elam told the Pioneer Press. “It was something unexpected. But it’s a great accomplishment.”
Bridgewater may not be asked to play a lot early in the season with Matt Cassel here. But Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said that if Bridgewater was the best quarterback he would play.
Bridgewater has never played in a game below freezing – that will undoubtably change if he starts the next two years with the Vikings.
According to the Star Tribune, the coldest game Bridgewater has ever played in was 34-degrees against Connecticut in 2012. He threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns for Louisville that day.
Bridgewater doesn’t seem worried about adapting.
“I think it won’t be a big adjustment at all,” Bridgewater told the Star Tribune. “I think we’ll be able to use that to our advantage here in Minnesota. It’s a mental thing and I’ll just block it out and continue to play.”
With the Vikings playing their home games outdoors the next two seasons and road games in Green Bay and Chicago his ability to handle the cold could have a big impact on his long-term success.
