Teddy Bridgewater Begins Coaching Career as Head Coach at his Alma Mater

Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who recently retired after a decade in the league, has been named the head coach at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, his alma mater.

Teddy Bridgewater Named Coach of Alma Mater

Bridgewater, 31, was the school’s quarterback from 2008-10 before heading to Louisville and then the NFL.

He had 6,712 passing yards and 70 touchdowns at Miami Northwestern before moving on to Louisville, where he earned Big East Rookie of the Year honors and won Sugar Bowl MVP after leading the Cardinals to a win over Florida as a junior.

Bridgewater started 65 games in his NFL career and finished with 15,120 passing yards, 75 touchdowns, and 47 interceptions.

Bridgewater missed 2016 and part of the 2017 season due to a torn ACL and dislocated knee. A starter his first two seasons with the Vikings, his most recent job was as the backup quarterback to Jared Goff with the 2023 Detroit Lions, his sixth NFL team. Bridgewater also spent time with the New Orleans Saints (2018-19), Carolina Panthers (2020), Denver Broncos (2021) and Miami Dolphins (2022).

Miami Northwestern athletic director Andre Williams confirmed the hire to ESPN. He added that Bridgewater has been a steady presence around the program and hoped to coach there for some time.

“Teddy, he’s never left the school,” Williams told ESPN. “Since he’s been in the NFL the last 10 years and certainly in college, he was always at the school during the offseason, working out with the young men, giving them his knowledge of the game. He’s never left the school, so we’re just officially bringing him back as the head coach.”

Bridgewater, a 2014 first-round draft pick of the Vikings, played for seven NFL teams, most recently the Lions.

Bridgewater announced on Dec. 16, 2023, that he planned to retire from the NFL following the conclusion of the season and become a high school football coach. He officially announced his retirement on Feb 2, 2024.

Williams said Miami Northwestern received strong interest for its coaching vacancy but zeroed in on Bridgewater, whom he thinks received interest from colleges about potential coaching jobs.

“I wasn’t concerned because he’s always expressed that he wanted to come back in coach at his alma mater, Northwestern, and he was always present,” Williams said. “He’s a very humble young man. He very seldom shows his emotions, but I’m sure he was extremely excited. He mentioned that he was trying to hold his composure in the announcement not too long ago.”

Williams thinks Bridgewater will mentor players well, both on and off the field.

MORE: Which Teams Has Teddy Bridgewater Played For?

“It means a great deal,” Williams said. “He’s a proud member of this community. He knows the environment, he knows the school, he knows the tradition, he knows about all those guys that came before. I was surprised that when I first met him, he knew I was a quarterback at Northwestern in the ’80s.

“So he understands the importance of it, but more importantly, he understands it’s not just about wins and losses for me and for the school and the community.”

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