QB Teddy Bridgewater, fresh off coaching alma mater to HS state title, comes out of retirement to sign with Lions

On By Littum

Two weeks after leading his high school alma mater to a state championship, Teddy Bridgewater is returning to the NFL.

On Thursday, Bridgewater, 32, was signed to the Detroit Lions’ active roster for the rest of the season, the team announced.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell said he has been in contact with the veteran quarterback for some time.

“Being able to add somebody back here that has experience,” Campbell said. “He stays fit, he throws. It just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, someone who’s great for our team, he’s great for the position. Doesn’t mean we’re disappointed with (Hendon) Hooker. It’s not that It just means it gives us someone who has played a lot in the NFL It will be good to get him back in the fold.

Bridgewater played nine NFL seasons with six teams before retiring after last season with the Lions. He threw for 15,120 yards and 75 touchdowns in 79 career games after being a first-round pick out of Louisville in 2014.

Bridgewater then took over head coaching duties at Miami Northwestern, which won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A state title last month 41-0 over previously unbeaten Jacksonville Raines. The team finished 12-2 on the season and outscored opponents 262-12 in their five playoff games.

After leading the school to its first state title since 2019, Bridgewater said he wasn’t done with the NFL. He told Rapoport and Tom Pelissero on NFL Network last month that he was looking forward to playing again.

“That’s the plan” Bridgewater said. “My team knows that’s the plan. We wanted to win a state championship and then the coach goes back to the league, see what happens and then come back to February in the offseason, continue to coach high school football. We get see how it plays out.”

Bridgewater joins starter Jared Goff and Hooker on the active depth chart for the 13-2 Lions. Jake Fromm, who is on the practice squad, is the fourth quarterback on the roster.

The Lions close out the regular season with Monday night games against the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings in Week 18.