Teddy Bridgewater leaves Lions to retire again, coach says

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Detroit Lions veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has decided to step away from the team amid training camp and was officially placed on the reserve/retired list ahead of Sunday’s practice.

Head coach Dan Campbell said he believes that this retirement could stick for Bridgewater, who had previously retired after the 2023 season only to return to the Lions the next season.

“I think he can only truly answer that, but I feel like this is where it’s at for sure right now. This is where it needs to be and where he felt,” Campbell said. “And his biggest worry was letting us down. That’s the type of guy he is, and he’s not.

“That’s as far as it can get. He meant a lot.”

“I’ve known Teddy a long time and the human being is unbelievable. Certainly, the player, everything that he’s about. The type of teammate he is, the way he prepares … always played the game up here and had a huge heart He’s gonna be missed.”

Dan Campbell, on Teddy Bridgewater

The Lions are signing veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs to a one-year, $1.425 million contract with $475,000 fully guaranteed in the wake of Bridgewater’s retirement, sources told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.

This will be Dobbs’ second stint with the Lions. He was on Detroit’s practice squad in 2022. Dobbs, 31, spent last season as Drake Maye‘s backup with the New England Patriots.

Detroit signed Bridgewater as an unrestricted free agent in March to serve as a backup for Jared Goff in what would have been his third stint with the organization.

Bridgewater, 33, was viewed as a respected leader and mentor to players in the Lions’ locker room but has missed the past two practices for an undisclosed reason. He was a familiar face in Detroit as he was previously Goff’s backup in 2023 and 2024.

Last season, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he appeared in four games and completed 8 of 15 passes for 62 yards.

In his career, he has also played for the Buccaneers (2025), Miami Dolphins (2022), Denver Broncos (2021), Carolina Panthers (2020), New Orleans Saints (2018-19) and Vikings (2014-17) after entering the league as a first-round selection for Minnesota out of Louisville in the 2014 NFL draft.

For his career, the 2015 Pro Bowler completed 1,380 of 2,082 passes (66.3%) for 15,182 yards and 75 touchdowns with a 90.3 passer rating in 83 career games, logging 65 starts.

“I’ve known Teddy a long time and the human being is unbelievable. Certainly, the player, everything that he’s about. The type of teammate he is, the way he prepares … always played the game up here and had a huge heart,” Campbell said. “He’s going to be missed.”

Undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer is expected to take heavy snaps during Detroit’s preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday.