Teddy Bridgewater may have skirted state guidelines during Miami Northwestern High School’s run to Florida’s Class 3A championship in 2024, but he’s not facing much public backlash for allegedly providing impermissible benefits to players.
In fact, prominent voices in NFL circles are calling for Bridgewater to be celebrated: “These are the kind of servant leaders our communities need,” Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports said.
Bridgewater recently confirmed in a Facebook post that he’s been suspended as head football coach by Miami Northwestern after self-reporting payments he made to aid his players and program last season. Per Schultz, Bridgewater personally provided:
- $14K for training camp
- $9,500 for team pride sets
- $2,200/week for pregame meals
- $1,300/week for recovery
- $700/week for Ubers
While it’s obviously illegal for high school coaches to provide financial aid to players, you could argue that Bridgewater merely leveled the playing field for his program against those in wealthier areas with more established booster programs.
Plenty of analysts are making that argument, with ESPN’s Louis Riddick, a former NFL executive, among the most outspoken:
“This Teddy Bridgewater suspension for doing RIGHT by his football players and propping up the program with his own money is simply embarrassing,” Riddick wrote in a social post that’s been liked over 20,000 times. “WTF are we even doing here? When I read everything he was providing for these young men, I’m thinking “Is he going to get some kind of reward? Recognition ?” Come on man…this is just dumb.”
Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team struck a similar chord: “Teddy Bridgewater should be celebrated, not suspended,” he wrote. “Just my two cents.”
Per Rivals, the Florida High School Athletic Association is currently “gathering more information” on the situation. So Bridgewater’s suspension came from his school, not the state governing body.
Bridgewater is a former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 2014, and he gave off franchise quarterback vibes after earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2015 after leading Minnesota to an 11-5 record and an NFC North title.
That trajectory was derailed, however, by a devastating knee injury in 2016 that nearly ended Bridgewater’s NFL career. After a lengthy rehab and emotional return to the field in 2017, Bridgewater went on to play for several teams as a steady, well-respected backup and spot starter — including the Saints, Panthers, Broncos, Dolphins and, most recently, Lions. While injuries prevented him from becoming a long-term franchise QB, Bridgewater's early years in Minnesota remain the highlight of an admirable NFL journey.
His leadership off the field should also be commended, even if he’s about to get his wrist slapped for allegedly providing his players with an unfair advantage, based on state rules.
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