Former NFL QB Teddy Bridgewater suspended for covering meals, Uber, recovery for his high school players. Fans and experts weigh in.
🧭 Background & Coaching Return
Teddy Bridgewater (32) The former NFL quarterback left the NFL in 2023 and is now coach at his highschool alma mater Miami Northwestern HS. He guided them to a Class 3A state championship in 2024 in his first season. He briefly returned to the Detroit Lions as a backup in December 2024, and threw his only playoff pass in January 2025.
⚠️ Suspension Over Player Benefits
The report claimed that Bridgewater was paying for $700 worth of Uber rides per week, as well as $2,200 for team meals per week, and $1,300 for recovery services per week, bringing the total to about $100,000. He publicly admitted to spending that money and asked his fans to donate to help him spend it some more. The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is currently looking into whether this constitutes “impermissible benefits” under its rules.
💬 Bridgewater’s Response
“Multiple media outlets have misreported that I ‘self-reported’ the employment benefits in question,” Teddy wrote in a public Facebook post, and added that because he is not an employee the school does not have authority to suspend him. He promised to “keep standing on the outside and kicking in the door.”
🌍 Public Reaction & Outrage
Fans and ex-Legends such as Chad Johnson and Robert Griffin III defended him on social media, said that the suspension was unfair, encouraged others to call the suspension out and expressed dismay at what has become of youth sports. The decision has been met with fury and outrage, with many saying it punishes love and sacrifice.
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🏈 NFL Career & Legacy
Bridgewater was the 32nd pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, earned Pro Bowl honours through grind in 2015, and has thrown for more than 15,120 passing yards and 75 TDs for six clubs. He returned as a coach and suited up for the Lions later on 2024, throwing one playoff pass.
🔮 What Happens Next
The FHSAA investigation is ongoing. Bridgewater said he would coach in a less official capacity that day if the suspension holds. They clearly want him to linger, no matter what. The case also brings to the fore urgent questions around rules that prohibit coaches from assisting players in a time of need, a particularly acute issue in underfunded areas.
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