Report: Former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is set to retire following the conclusion of the 2023 season.
The former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings is reportedly poised to retire after the current season.
Former Minnesota Vikings and current Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is reportedly planning to retire after the current season, as indicated by Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. Serving as the Lions’ backup behind Jared Goff this season, Bridgewater expressed his intention to coach high school football after retiring next fall.
Bridgewater, a first-round pick by the Vikings in 2014, led Minnesota to an NFC North championship in 2015 but suffered a career-threatening injury just weeks before the 2016 season. Despite this setback, he returned in 2017 and had stints with the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Miami Dolphins. Bridgewater clarified to Birkett that his knee was not a factor in his decision to retire and mentioned that he had considered retirement after the 2022 season.
While enjoying his time with the Lions, Bridgewater is focused on life beyond football and the impact he can make off the field. He emphasized that football is just a platform, and his purpose extends beyond the game. “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.”
