Teddy Bridgewater Signs 1-Year Deal To Join Tampa Bay

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 25: Teddy Bridgewater #17 of the Detroit Lions drops back to pass during the first quarter of a preseason game at Bank of America Stadium on August 25, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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A year after inking their franchise quarterback to a three-year deal, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rekindled its relationship with a long-time NFL journeyman to potentially secure the team’s 2025 backup signal caller.

Yesterday, veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater officially re-entered the NFL by signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following a team meeting with ownership and the passing of his physical. The former Louisville Cardinal was last seen on an NFL roster in January 2025 as a member of the Detroit Lions.

The addition of Bridgewater gives Tampa Bay insurance and stability for a quarterback room that is dealing with injuries to Mayfield and rookie late-round selection Michael Pratt. Pratt is managing a back injury while Mayfield recently returned to practice following a right hand contusion.

Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht also revealed to the public that five years ago Bridgewater was the team’s second free agency option at starting quarterback behind eventual signee Tom Brady.

“A few years ago he was behind ‘Door No. 2,” Licht said. “We talked about that today on the sidelines. So we ended up with Tom Brady, but we now have Teddy on the roster, so you can’t have everything at once. You can have everything, just not all at once.

Licht envisions the Buccaneers potentially carrying up to three quarterbacks on the opening day roster in 2025. Currently, the team has Mayfield as its starter with rookies Michael Pratt, Connor Bazelak and former 2021 second-round selection Kyle Trask competing for the backup quarterback role.

“We still have preseason games to play and all that, but right now Kyle is our backup,” Licht said. That’s the intention and that’s what we’re hoping for, but yeah everybody’s competing.”

On the NFL gridiron, Bridgewater has played for six NFL teams from 2014 to 2024 accumulating 15,120 yards passing, 75 touchdown tosses and a 33-32 record as a former first-round selection. Specifically pertaining to the Buccaneers, Bridgewater has ties with many important figures on the current roster and coaching staff.

Tampa’s defensive line coach Charlie Strong was once Bridgewater’s head coach at Louisville. The NFL veteran was also co-workers with offensive coordinator Josh Gizzard in 2022 when Gizzard was Miami’s quality control coach.

Lastly, Bridgewater was high school teammates with long-time Buccaneers defensive standout and captain Lavonte David.

“I think he would bring great professional leadership, add to the football team and a guy who knows what it takes,” David told ESPN on Tuesday of the signing. “Been through a lot of adversity and knows what it takes to win. … A great guy who’s willing to sacrifice for the team, and he’s definitely somebody who you want to call a friend outside of football.”

Bridgewater’s return to the NFL all but solidifies his coaching tenure with his high school alma mater Miami Northwestern is over for at least this season. Last month, he was suspended by the school for providing impermissible benefits to his football players which included money from his own pocket to cover for team trips, meals and uber rides.

In a team press conference today with the media, Bridgewater acknowledged that his actions were an all-out effort to protect the kids he coached from the community they navigated through each and everyday.

“I’m protective, and I’m a father first before anything. And when I decided to coach, those players became my sons,” Bridgewater said. “And I wanted to make sure that I just protected them in the best way that I can. I think that’s what came about. Miami Northwestern’s in a tough neighborhood, and sometimes things can happen when the kids are walking home and different things like that. So I was just trying to protect them and give them a ride home instead of having to take those dangerous walks.”

Last season as the team’s headman, Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern to its first state championship in school history with a dominant victory over Raines High school 41-0 in the Class 3A Florida High School Athletic Association State Title Game.