He is back and still has the itch to play. Fourteen days after guiding his high school alma mater to a state championship, Teddy Bridgewater has made the decision to return to the NFL.
On Thursday, Bridgewater, 32 years old, was signed to the Detroit Lions’ active roster for the remainder of the season, the organization announced.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said that he has been in constant communication with the veteran quarterback for some time.
“To be able to add somebody back here that’s got experience,” Campbell said. “He’s staying in shape, he’s throwing. It just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, somebody that’s great for our team, he’s great for the position. Doesn’t mean we’re disappointed in [Hendon] Hooker. That’s not what this means. It just means this gives us somebody that’s played a lot in the NFL. It’ll be good to get him back in the fold with us.”
Bridgewater made his rounds playing nine NFL seasons with six teams before retiring after the 2023 campaign, which he spent backing up Jared Goff with the Lions. He threw for 15,120 yards and 75 touchdowns in 79 career games after being a first-round pick out of the University of Louisville in 2014.
Bridgewater then took over head coaching duties at Miami Northwestern, which won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state title in November, 41-0, over previously unbeaten Jacksonville Raines. The team finished 12-2 on the season and outscored opponents 262-12 in their five playoff games.
After leading the school to its first state title since 2019, Bridgewater said he has more to do in the NFL. He told Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero on NFL Network last month that he was looking forward to playing again.
Embed from Getty Images“That’s the plan,” Bridgewater said. “My team knows that’s the plan. We wanted to win a state championship and then coach goes back to the league, see what happens, and then come back February in the offseason, continue coaching high school football. We’ll see how it plays out.”
Bridgewater will join starter Goff and Hendon Hooker on the active depth chart for the 13-2 Lions. Jake Fromm, who is on the practice squad, is the fourth quarterback on the roster.
The Lions finish the regular season with games on Monday night against the San Francisco 49ers, who were eliminated from the playoffs and the Minnesota Vikings in the regular-season finally.
