Dan Campbell stays in touch with retired ex-Lions QB Teddy Bridgewater

USA Today

6 days ago

Lions head coach Dan Campbell has not forgotten about former quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who spent parts of two seasons in Detroit, from 2023-2024.
During his media session on Monday, Day 2 of Lions training camp, Campbell was asked about his relationship with Bridgewater and if he has kept in contact with the former quarterback. Campbell didn't get too deep into details but did say the relationship is still a good one.
"Teddy and I, we talk all the time - I mean, not all the time, but we communicate back and forth," Campbell said. "I've known Teddy a long time, so yeah. That's on a personal level. He's somebody I've got a lot of respect for and so just as a human being I'm going to talk to Teddy."
Campbell said nothing about any sense of Lions interest in bringing Bridgewater back for another year.
Bridgewater first joined the Lions in August 2023. He announced his retirement in December 2023 to become a high school football coach. About a year later, in December 2024, Bridgewater came out of retirement after his high school season ended and re-joined the Lions for their playoff run, even briefly appearing in the Divisional Playoff against the Washington Commanders after Jared Goff was briefly being evaluated for a concussion.
Bridgewater was recently suspended as head coach at Miami Northwestern after providing impermissible benefits to his players, including Uber rides and meals, which he paid for himself.
In total, Bridgewater played ten seasons, making stops with the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints (where Campbell served as assistant head coach and tight ends coach from 2016 to 2020), Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and Lions. He was a Pro Bowl selection in 2015. He posted a 33-32 record, throwing for 15,120 yards in 79 games played (65 starts) with 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.