Teddy Bridgewater hung up his cleats (and gloves) prematurely to go coach Miami Northwestern High School, but an unexpected suspension revived his NFL career. Then, on roster cutdown day, Bridgewater got a vote of confidence from Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles.
The Buccaneers released Baker Mayfield’s longtime backup and former second-round NFL Draft pick, Kyle Trask, on Tuesday, elevating Bridgewater to the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. Bridgewater last started a game in 2022, going 0-2 for the Miami Dolphins, and has appeared in one game in the two years since, attempting no passes.
However, Bowles felt comfortable moving on from Trask and trusting Bridgewater to back up Mayfield. “He can command the offense right now. Him being older has a lot to do with it, but him being accurate and understanding what we’re trying to do has a lot to do with it as well. We had Kyle for four years and it was a good four-year run. We just feel like we’ve got a better chance with Teddy,” Bowles said in an official transcript released by the team.
Teddy Bridgewater officially supplants Kyle Trask as QB2 in Tampa Bay
After a Pro Bowl year in 2015, his second season in the league, Bridgewater’s NFL career was derailed by a gruesome knee injury that he suffered in training camp. After missing the 2016 season, the former first-round pick appeared in only one game for the Vikings in 2017 before heading to New Orleans as a backup to Drew Brees.
Bridgewater has received two other starting opportunities since his stint in Minnesota, playing 15 games for Carolina in 2020, and leading the Panthers to a 4-11 record, then starting 14 games for the Denver Broncos in 2021 and finishing 7-7. Bridgewater’s NFL career quickly fizzled after his stint in Denver, but at 33 years old entering this season, it appears that the former Louisville Cardinals still has something left in the tank.
If Bridgewater is forced onto the field in relief of Mayfield this season, it could be his best opportunity to succeed since his early days with the Vikings. The Buccaneers had a top 10 offense last season, have arguably the best offensive tackle duo in the NFL with Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke, and boast one of the deepest groups of pass catchers in the league.
Mike Evans is a surefire future Hall of Famer, Chris Godwin is expected to return from injury midseason, and the Buccaneers drafted Emeka Egbuka out of Ohio State with their first-round pick. Add in the emergence of Bucky Irving as one of the most productive young running backs in football last season, and you have a perfect offensive ecosystem.
The suspension from coaching is what forced Bridgewater back onto the field, but the situation in Tampa Bay could keep him around beyond just 2025.