Teddy Bridgewater, the Miami native and former quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, is relishing his opportunity to continue living his NFL dream with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Transitioning to the role of backup quarterback at the age of 32, Bridgewater now supports Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield as the Buccaneers prepare for their Week 4 face-off against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.
The Buccaneers have been teetering on the edge of elite status within the league, coming remarkably close in the playoffs over the past two years. Having narrowly lost to the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions in postseason play, they managed to defeat both teams during regular season play last year. Notably, Tampa Bay has bested the Eagles in each of the last two seasons, including a playoff victory at the end of the 2023 season. Another victory against Philadelphia this week could solidify their reputation as an elite team.
Despite having 65 career starts, Bridgewater has embraced his current role backing up Mayfield, praising Tampa Bay’s strong team culture as vital to their recent success. The Buccaneers boast five consecutive playoff appearances and a Super Bowl win, marking the longest current streak in the NFC. This achievement places them third in the NFL for consecutive playoff appearances, behind only the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills.
Bridgewater attributes a significant part of this success to the leadership of general manager Jason Licht and head coach Todd Bowles, as well as the influence of veterans like Lavonte David, Mike Evans, and Baker Mayfield. Bridgewater stated: “The leadership starts at the top with Jason and Todd. The locker room is special, with guys who have established themselves as superstars yet remain humble.”
Bridgewater’s journey saw him as a backup to Tua Tagovailoa with the Dolphins during the 2022 season, stepping in for two games and throwing four touchdowns. After a short retirement period in which he served as head coach for Miami Northwestern’s high school football team, he returned to the NFL to back up Jared Goff with the Detroit Lions before transitioning to the Buccaneers. His high school coaching tenure was cut short due to a suspension after providing impermissible benefits to students, including Uber rides.
Bridgewater’s move to Tampa Bay was influenced by personal ties, including his relationship with Tampa Bay quarterbacks coach Thad Lewis, an old friend from South Florida. “Todd Bowles supported me after the high school situation and offered me this opportunity. It was an easy decision to say yes.”
As for his football future, Bridgewater intends to extend his career as long as he can, considering the NFL environment less stressful compared to high school coaching. His focus remains on contributing to the Buccaneers’ success and enjoying his time in the league as much as possible.