Teddy Bridgewater hasn’t thrown a single pass during this NFL season, but the 24-year-old Vikings quarterback did receive a major recognition from his teammates this week.
The Vikings announced Thursday that Bridgewater has been selected as the club’s 2016 Ed Block Courage Award recipient.
Bridgewater joins Adrian Peterson (2012) and Chad Greenway (2007) as the only current Vikings to have received the award. Last year’s winner Phil Loadholt retired following a torn Achilles last season, and all the other previous winners have left or retired. The two winners prior to that were Greg Jennings and Kevin Williams.
Bridgewater, who suffered a devastating knee injury during a preseason practice, has been dedicated to his rehabilitation this season. About the award, Bridgewater issued a short statement through the team.
“It’s an honor to win this award. Especially as my teammates made the selection. 2016 has been amazing for me. Everyone looks at an injury as a negative. It has helped me spiritually and mentally even with me already being an extremely positive person. My injury was a new challenge and I love challenges. With the help of many people we have attacked this challenge head on and expect great success in the future. A special thanks to the Vikings training staff and all those that support me along my journey.”
The team has not publicly set a timetable for when Bridgewater might return from the knee injury.
Off the field, he has always been active in the community, and has taken a special interest in breast cancer causes. His mother, Rose, is a breast cancer survivor.
Since 1984 the Ed Block Courage Awards annually honors one player from every NFL team who exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. It’s named in honor of Ed Block, the longtime head trainer of the Baltimore Colts.
Winners travel to Baltimore every March to receive their trophy at a gala in their honor and spend time at the local Courage House at St. Vincent’s Center, which specializes in working with abused children.
