Detroit QB Teddy Bridgewater plans to retire after season, Louisville icon hanging it up

Detroit Lions quarterback Teddy Bridgewater plans to retire after this season, he told the Detroit Free Press. The former Louisville star and first-round pick turned 31 earlier this season. The No. 6 dual-threat quarterback and No. 188 overall player in the 2011 class, Bridgewater signed with Louisville and went on to a highly decorated college career. He won the starting job in his true freshman season, passing for 2,129 yards and 14 touchdowns, then grew into stardom as a sophomore.

“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 completed 68.5% of his passes this season for 3,718 yards and 27 touchdowns with eight interceptions for an 11-2 Cardinals squad. That included a win in the Sugar Bowl, when Louisville upset Florida with Bridgewater throwing for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Bridgewater was picked as the Big East Offensive Player of the Year for his impact.

The following season, Louisville moved to the AAC and went 12-1, with Bridgewater setting career highs in completion percentage (71%), passing yards (3,970), and touchdown passes (31) while throwing for a career-low four interceptions.

Bridgewater entered the NFL Draft with a year of eligibility remaining, with the Minnesota Vikings trading up to the final pick in the first round to take the Louisville signal-caller. A journeyman NFL career followed; Bridgewater reached the Pro Football Writers Association’s All-Rookie Team in 2014 and his lone Pro Bowl the next season, but after his four seasons on his rookie contract finished, he signed with the New York Jets, who traded Bridgewater to the New Orleans Saints before he ever played a regular season game with the Jets. He spent two seasons with the Saints, then single seasons with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and Lions, respectively.

“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.”

Bridgewater told the Free Press that he considered retiring after last season, but after talks with Lions coach Dan Campbell, he decided to come back.

“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.”