Minnesota Vikings‘ former and current Lions QB Teddy Bridgewater just got some major news in the state of Florida.
Bridgewater stepped away from the NFL in 2023 to coach his alma mater Miami Northwestern Senior High School football team. He would go on to win a state championship with the team, and returned to the NFL in 2024. This return came with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bridgewater’s exit from his coaching career didn’t come without controversy. Carter Bahns of CBS Sports shared the details last September.
“Former Miami Northwestern High School football coach Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended for the rest of the 2025-26 school year for providing impermissible benefits to athletes, the Florida High School Athletic Association announced Friday. Bridgewater left the Northwestern staff on Aug. 4 to take a roster spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is currently the backup to Baker Mayfield…
Northwestern suspended Bridgewater in July after he revealed in a social media post that he spent $700 a week on Uber rides for his players during the 2024 season. Bridgewater also said he spent $14,000 for a four-night preseason training camp, $9,500 on Northwestern-branded clothing, $1,300 per week for postgame recovery trucks and $2,200 per week for pregame meals. In the post, he asked for donations to the Northwestern football program.”
Mike Florio put it into simpler terms.
“Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater took a break from playing in 2023 to become the coach at his former Miami high school. In 2024, Bridgewater stepped down after revealing that he had used his own money to cover expenses for his players — transportation, recovery, and pre-game meals.”
Vikings’ Former QB Sees ‘Teddy Bridgewater Act’ Passed in Florida
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MN – DECEMBER 27: Teddy Bridgewater #5 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the New York Giants on December 27, 2015 at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings defeated the Giants 49-17. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
Mike Florio shared the news of the act being passed.
“And while Bridgewater seems to be done, at least for now, with coaching, Florida has addressed the problem his situation highlighted.
Via Andy Villamarzo of On3.com, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the so-called “Teddy Bridgewater Act” into law on Friday.
The law allows middle-school and high-school head coaches to spend up to $15,000 of their own funds to support student-athletes with food, transportation and recovery services…
…Florida has acknowledged the fact that there’s no harm in letting football coaches help their players. The question becomes whether the limit will be respected, or whether it will be abused in the name of chasing wins.”
Bridgewater: ‘Those Players Became My Sons’
GettyMINNEAPOLIS, MN – NOVEMBER 19: Case Keenum #7 of the Minnesota Vikings with Teddy Bridgewater #5 on the sidelines in the fourth quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Rams on November 19, 2017 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Bridgewater spoke last season on his relationship with his players.
“I’m protective, and I’m a father first before anything. And when I decided to coach, those players became my sons. And I wanted to make sure that I just protected them in the best way that I can. I think that’s what came about. Miami Northwestern’s in a tough neighborhood and sometimes things can happen when the kids are walking home and things like that. So I was just trying to protect them and give them a ride home instead of having to take those dangerous walks.”
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