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Jenna Laine
TAMPA, Fla. — Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has signed with the Buccaneers, a source told ESPN.
Bridgewater, 32, was in Tampa Tuesday to meet with the team and undergo a physical.
He last suited up for the Detroit Lions in December 2024, coming out of retirement to serve as Jared Goff‘s backup. Bridgewater did not appear in a regular-season game. In the playoffs, he completed his only pass attempt for 3 yards in a 45-31 loss against the Washington Commanders in the divisional round.
For the Bucs, Bridgewater would help shore up the quarterback room, with Michael Pratt dealing with a back injury. Starting quarterback Baker Mayfield also just returned to practice Tuesday after missing multiple days last week with a contusion in his right throwing hand, leaving the Bucs with just two quarterbacks at that time.
General manager Jason Licht confirmed the visit and that Bridgewater was on the practice field Tuesday morning. Licht also noted that Bridgewater was very much on the team’s radar during its 2020 pursuit of then free-agent Tom Brady.
“A few years ago he was what was behind ‘Door No. 2,'” Licht said. “We talked about that today on the sidelines. So we ended up with Tom Brady, but now we have Teddy on the roster, so you can’t have everything at once. You can have everything, just not all at once.”
It was the first time Licht had said publicly who the Bucs’ second choice was when they decided to go in a different direction after five seasons with 2015 first overall draft pick Jameis Winston.
Head coach Todd Bowles calls Bridgewater a “pro’s pro.”
“He brings us a wealth of experience at that spot,” Bowles said. “Obviously, we don’t have it. Kyle [Trask] has been here a few years, but he hasn’t really played. Obviously, we have the new guy (Connor Bazelak) just coming in. So, we need the extra arm. We think we need some experience in that room – the more experience, the better.”
Licht said all options are on the table as to whether they’ll carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster or have a third on the practice squad. The team selected Trask in the second round of the 2021 NFL draft, and he battled with Mayfield for the starting quarterback role during 2023 training camp and preseason. Trask got first-team reps while Mayfield was injured last week.
“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.”
Bridgewater played for six NFL teams from 2014 to 2024, compiling a 33-32 record with 15,120 passing yards and 75 touchdowns. He made the Pro Bowl after an 11-5 season with the Minnesota Vikings. He retired after a decade in the league and went on to coach his high school alma mater, Miami Northwestern, to the Class 3A Florida High School Athletic Association state title in 2024.
Bridgewater has multiple connections to the Bucs. He was the starting quarterback for new Bucs defensive line coach Charlie Strong when Strong was the head coach at Louisville. He was also with new Bucs offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard when they were with the Dolphins in 2022, when Grizzard served as the offensive quality control coach. He was also teammates with longtime Bucs defensive captain Lavonte David at Miami Northwestern.
Last month, Bridgewater was suspended from his position as the high school’s coach for allegedly providing impermissible benefits to his players. He said in a social media post that he self-reported paying for Uber rides, meals and recovery services for his players last season.
“Oh man, it’s just crazy, man,” David said of Bridgewater’s suspension last month. “Just knowing the type of person Teddy is, man. If you know Teddy and you meet him — that’s just who he is. He’s just doing it straight out of love. But that’s because he is. Even when he was in the league, he was still giving back to the team. He just continued it. It just so happened that he be the head coach. He gives a lot back to youth football and football in the Miami area. It’s unfortunate that he’s going through it, but I think he’ll be fine, man.”
