Detroit Lions QB Teddy Bridgewater announces plan to retire at end of 2023 season, coach high school football

It seems 2023 is the final ride for Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, as the former Louisville Cardinals star has revealed the Detroit Free Press that he plans to retire after the season.

He’s not hiding from it, or surprising anyone. Bridgewater was candid in a story published Saturday, where he stated that his time in the NFL will come to an end whenever the Lions season is over.

“Whatever was meant for me, it played out the exact way it was meant,” Bridgewater told the Free Press for a story published Saturday. “And I’m still with that mindset every day, and I’m just really appreciative that I’m in Year 10. I tell everyone this is my last year, so I’m in my final year and I’m just enjoying it all, man.”

Bridgewater was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. After an injury derailed his time with the team, he’s bounced around the league, playing for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins before taking his talents to Detroit.

While the injury changed the course of his career, it also provided Bridgewater with the perspective that he still utilizes each and every day.

“When I got hurt, I realized that I’m only a football player for three hours on a Sunday afternoon,” Bridgewater said. “Outside of that, I’m Theodore Bridgewater, so it just put everything into perspective, and it really helped me not even have to think about not being a starter [anymore]. It’s like, ‘Man, I still got purpose.’ And my purpose is bigger than the game of football. Football is just a platform that I have.”

While he’s not starting at the moment, Bridgewater is still thankful for his place on the Lions, believing that he’s playing a pivotal role on a team headed to the playoffs, it seems. When he finally hangs up his cleats, Bridgewater plans to coach high school football and focus on being a father to his two sons.

“Everyone sees the wins and losses, and it’s the small victories, the daily victories that take place in this locker room,” he told the Free Press. “You talk about a team that is young, quick to run to their phones after practice, after games, and you see guys like mingling and just having conversations. Pingpong, card table, cornhole. Guys sitting on the couch. Like, that’s what it’s about.

“That’s the league that I came into, and I’m happy that I get to just see and be a part of this great locker room.”

Alas, Teddy Bridgewater has proven how valuable he can be to a team throughout his NFL career. He’s earned the right to go out on his own terms, and that looks to be the case for the veteran quarterback.