NFL Pro Bowl Quarterback to Retire After 2023 Season

A veteran NFL quarterback is currently playing in his final season. Teddy Bridgewater of the Detroit Lions told the Detroit Free Press he’s announcing his retirement once the 2023 season ends. He is currently the backup quarterback for Jared Goff and has played just one game this year. 

“Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant,” Bridgewater said, per ESPN.  “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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Bridgewater was selected in the first round by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2014 NFL Draft. He reached the Pro Bowl in 2015, completing 65.3 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,231 yards, 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions with an 88.7 passer rating. Before the 2016 season, Bridgewater suffered a torn ACL and missed the entire year. The injury was so severe that Bridgewater missed most of the 2017 season, playing in just one regular season game.

In March 2018, Bridgewater signed a contract with the New York Jets but was traded to the New Orleans Saints in August of that year and played in five games. In 2019, Bridgewater made five starts for the Saints and won all five games. He was playing for Drew Brees who was dealing with a thumb injury.

In March 2020, Bridgewater signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. During the 2020 season, Bridgewater threw for 3,733 yards, 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions with a 92.1 passer rating. In April 2021, Bridgewater was traded to the Denver Broncos and threw for 3,052 yards, 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 94.9 passer rating. Last year, Bridgewater signed a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins and was the backup QB for Tua Tagovailoa. In August of this year, Bridgewater signed with the Lions. 

Once his NFL career ends, Bridgewater plans to coach high school football and spend time with his two sons. “When I got hurt, I realized that I’m only a football player for three hours on a Sunday afternoon,” Bridgewater said. “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]. 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.”