Former QB Teddy Bridgewater Comes Out of Retirement for Lions Playoff Run
This time of year, QBs in the NFL are all dinged up and one quick hit could knock them out, crushing a team’s hopes of winning the Super Bowl.
One of the favorites to win the Super Bowl this year, the Detroit Lions, just signed themselves an insurance policy in the form of Teddy Bridgewater.
Shocking Injury
When Teddy Bridgewater came out of Louisville in 2013, taken with the 32nd pick in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings, hopes were very high for him.
He could run like a gazelle and could throw with the best of them, but his career was cut tragically short when, in 2016, he suffered a non-contact injury during practice, dislocating his knee in what was a heartbreaking injury.
Bridgewater was eventually released by the Vikings in 2017, destined to become a journeyman and a mere shell of what he had been before the injury.
Bridgewater did manage to bounce back somewhat, having a decent year for the Carolina Panthers in 2020, his third team at that point, followed by an okay year for the Broncos in 2021. He then went to the Dolphins in 2022 and the Lions in 2023, retiring at the end of the season after having only played in six games over his final two seasons.
The Lions are Back
Let’s fast forward to the 2024 season, and the Detroit Lions, who have never won a Super Bowl, are having a phenomenal season.
The Lions are now 13-2, the top seed in the NFC if they can hold off the Philadelphia Eagles, who are 12-3.
The Lions racked up 13 wins with a steady dose of injuries, especially to their defense, where they now have more players out than are needed to start.
With QBs in the league dropping like flies, including the Eagles, whose QB Jalen Hurts suffered a concussion last week, the Lions decided to sign some insurance in case starting QB Jared Goff goes down with an injury.
Bringing Back Teddy
After coaching his high school team to a state title, Bridgewater got a call from the Lions front office to come back for a quick stint with the team for its playoff run.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he had been talking to Bridgewater for quite some time, so this was a move he clearly planned on making and, by all accounts, a necessary one with Hendon Hooker, the current backup for Goff.
Campbell stated, “It just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, somebody that’s great for our team, he’s great for the position.”
You guys know I am a Cowboys fan, but I have to say, since my team is out, I am hoping for a Lions-Bills Super Bowl, giving two teams a chance to win a Super Bowl that have yet to bring home the hardware. Even if Bridgewater never sees the field, and hopefully Goff stays healthy and he does not have to step on the gridiron, I think this a great move to add a veteran to the roster that will provide another set of eyes for breaking down defenses. Good luck, Lions!
