Teddy Bridgewater confirms he will retire from the NFL at the age of 31: Detroit quarterback will become a high school football coach after playing for six team in 10 years

Teddy Bridgewater was drafted by Minnesota Vikings in the first round in 2014
He has played for six teams, and is currently the back-up for the Detroit Lions
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By BEN NAGLE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 16:40 GMT, 16 December 2023 | UPDATED: 16:40 GMT, 16 December 2023

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Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has confirmed he will retire at the conclusion of the NFL season at the age of just 31.

A first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014, Bridgewater missed the 2016 and part of the 2017 seasons because of a torn ACL and dislocated knee.

A starter his first two seasons with the Vikings, he now is the backup quarterback to Jared Goff with the Lions — his sixth and final NFL team. He has played just a single snap this season.

‘When I got hurt, I realized that I’m only a football player for three hours on a Sunday afternoon,’ Bridgewater told the Detroit Free Press.

‘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).

Teddy Bridgewater will retire at the end of the 2023 season, after 10 years in the NFL
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Teddy Bridgewater will retire at the end of the 2023 season, after 10 years in the NFL

Bridgewater has played for six teams, but is currently backup to Jared Goff in Detroit
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Bridgewater has played for six teams, but is currently backup to Jared Goff in Detroit

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‘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.’

The quarterback also confirmed his plans post-NFL will center around becoming a high school football coach, and he has no intentions of staying in the big league, because ‘he doesn’t like the hours’.

Bridgewater has spent time with the Saints (2018-19), Carolina Panthers (2020), Denver Broncos (2021) and Miami Dolphins (2022). He started 29 games with the Panthers and Broncos and has a career 33-32 record as a starter.

He has appeared in 79 games and completed 66.4 percent of his passes for 15,120 yards with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.

Coach Dan Campbell said the quarterback has been a valuable mentor to the young and up-and-coming Lions.

‘Teddy’s been unbelievable for a lot of people here,’ Campbell said, per the Free Press. ‘He’s a huge asset for us, aside from the obvious, which is if we need him, he’s a guy that can go in and win for us. But, man, he does so many things behind the scenes that I think a lot of people don’t even realize. He’s a valuable asset for our team.’

Bridgewater has played just one snap this season, and he will become a high school coach
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Bridgewater has played just one snap this season, and he will become a high school coach

Bridgewater said he considered retiring after the 2022 season but was convinced by Campbell to go to Detroit. The Lions, at 9-4, likely are headed to the NFL playoffs.

Bridgewater led the Vikings to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth in his second season, when he earned his lone Pro Bowl selection. Injuries derailed his promising career, but he said he has no regrets.

‘Everything happens for a reason,’ Bridgewater said. ‘Injuries, highs, lows, the success, the failures. It all, it builds character, and that’s what it did for me. Like I never look like, “Oh man, what if?” Nah.

‘Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant. And I’m still with that mindset every day and I’m just really appreciative that I’m in Year 10. I tell everyone this is my last year, so I’m in my final year and I’m just enjoying it all, man.’

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