Teddy Bridgewater Goes From Suspended High School Coach Back To NFL Quarterback

It's all seemingly going to work out for Teddy Bridgewater this summer after a good deed turned into bad news in mid-July, because he's on his way back to the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Bucs, in need of veteran quarterback help, are giving Bridgewater a physical on Tuesday. And the expectation is, if he passes, the club will sign him to a one-year contract and give him a chance to make the team as Baker Mayfield's backup.

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 01: Teddy Bridgewater #5 of the Miami Dolphins warms up against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)

Happy Turn Of Events For Bridgewater

This is a turn in fortune for Bridgewater, who last we heard was complaining about being suspended from his job as the head coach of Northwestern High in Miami for providing his players with "impermissible benefits."

Bridgewater, by his own admission on Facebook, dug into his own pocket to help his players last season and the cost was somewhere between $86,500 and $100,000.

That's money Bridgewater put into the program to directly help his players by providing meals, clothing, medical recovery services and even Uber rides to and from practice, which the quarterback said cost him $700 per week.

Bridgewater's high school team won the Class 3A state championship, so the coach got his money's worth. But the school then suspended Bridgewater for an unspecified time and then went silent.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - DECEMBER 16: Teddy Bridgewater #10 of the Detroit Lions runs off the field during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos at Ford Field on December 16, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)

Bucs Need Backup For Baker Mayfield

OutKick reached out to Northwestern and the Florida High School Activities Association about the matter and got no response from either. So, yes, no one wanted to answer questions about punishing a seemingly good deed.

Bridgewater, 32, has obviously moved on. And the loss goes to Florida High school football and especially Northwestern High, which is Bridgewater's alma mater.

Womp, womp, womp.

The Bucs need quarterback help because they've been uncomfortable following the loss of starter Baker Mayfield, who missed two workouts with the team because of a right (throwing) hand contusion.

Yes, the Bucs managed in the near term and had Kyle Trask as the backup with Michael Pratt and Connor Bazelak behind him. Pratt, however, has missed all of camp with an injury.

Bridgewater Has Most Experience On Bucs

But that brings up the question: What happens if Mayfield has to miss time in the regular season for whatever reason? None of Tampa Bay's backups have the credentials Bridgewater brings.

Even Trask has limited experience, throwing 11 passes in three seasons and only two the past two seasons. 

Bridgewater, meanwhile, has played for multiple NFL teams – the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions.

"He brings a wealth of experience at that spot, obviously we don't have it," coach Todd Bowles told reporters on Tuesday. "Kyle has been here a few years but hasn't really played … We need the extra arm, and we think we need some experience in that room, and the more experience the better."

But it was his stop in Miami that probably led him to Tampa Bay because Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard was on the Dolphins staff in 2022 when Bridgewater was on that team. So the quarterback is familiar with the offensive coordinator, which should make his acclimation easier.