Teddy Bridgewater is not heading back to retirement. The high school coach-turned-Buccaneers backup is heading back to Detroit. Bridgewater will rejoin the Lions, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.
Bridgewater’s first stint with the Lions came in 2023, when he barely saw the field as Jared Goff‘s primary backup. He opted to retire following that campaign and became a high school football coach. However, he returned to Detroit late in the 2024 season, bumping Hendon Hooker from his role as QB2. Bridgewater made a brief cameo during the team’s Divisional Round loss to the Commanders, but he otherwise didn’t play that season.
Instead of returning to his HS coaching gig, Bridgewater decided to continue his playing career in 2025. He signed with the Buccaneers in late August and spent the season serving as Baker Mayfield‘s top backup. Bridgewater got playing time in four contests, connecting on eight of his 15 pass attempts for 62 yards.
Now, he’ll return to a familiar spot in Detroit. Besides his first stint with the organization, Bridgewater also has a connection to Dan Campbell, who was on the Saints coaching staff during the QB’s stint in New Orleans. The Lions needed some depth at the position following the loss of backup QB David Montgomery Kyle Allen, and they landed on a familiar face.
Goff hasn’t missed a game since the 2021 season, so the Lions may be content entering the regular season with only the two veteran signal callers. Of course, in the scenario where Goff is forced to miss time, it seems unlikely that Bridgewater can keep the offense humming. The 33-year-old last started a game in 2022 with the Dolphins. His last full-time starting gig came with the Broncos in 2021. That season, Bridgewater guided his squad to a 7-7 record in his 14 starts, connecting on 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,052 yards, 18 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
Still, the Lions clearly value Bridgewater’s veteran savviness, and the team is obviously operating under the assumption that they won’t have to lean on their QB2 in 2026.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
Lions signed a high school coach to backup Goff.
Bridgewater is only 33 and was a serviceable NFL QB before injuries derailed his career. What’s not to like about him as QB2 on a possible playoff team?
It’s just a funny headline
Funny how from the sound of it, being too nice a guy got Brosgewater in trouble as a high school coach, but being a nice guy to have around has made him millions of extra dollars at the tail of his playing career.
Really, autocorrect? Brosgewater?
Let’s see…we could pay Kyler Murray league minimum, or pay the same for Bridgewater. Mmmm, Teddy it is !!
Kyler Murray isn’t going to take the minimum to be backup to a good quarterback who’s played 17 games four straight years.
He will if the Cardinals released him with guaranteed money and they did/will. He can sign for more, but offset language kicks in relieving some of the Cardinals obligation. It’s how the Steelers got Russel Wilson on the cheap while the Broncos were paying him.
No, I know he’s going to take the minimum and why, but he’s going to take it somewhere he’s got a shot at starting.