Teddy Bridgewater retires from NFL again as Detroit Lions seek new backup QB behind Jared Goff

The Detroit Lions are suddenly searching for a new backup quarterback behind starter Jared Goff after Teddy Bridgewater announced his retirement from the NFL on Sunday. The 33-year-old veteran was placed on the reserve/retired list just weeks into training camp, ending an 11-year career that took him from first-round pick to reliable journeyman.

Bridgewater’s decision marks the second time he has stepped away from the game. He first retired after the 2023 season with Detroit before returning the following year, then spent 2025 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and rejoined the Lions this offseason. This time, the move appears permanent.

Dan Campbell remembers a respected teammate and leader

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell shared his thoughts on the departure with clear emotion.

"Teddy Bridgewater is going to step away," Campbell said. "I've known Teddy a long time. Man, the human being is unbelievable. Certainly the player: everything that he is about, the type of teammate that he is, the way he prepares. Always played the game up here [in his mind] and had a huge heart. He is going to be missed."

Campbell later reflected on a defining stretch from their time together in New Orleans.

"I'll never forget 2019 when Drew [Brees] got injured, and we had just gone out to the Rams and got beat out there. Drew had his thumb [injury], and we lost him for five weeks. Teddy stepped in, and we won five in a row, man," Campbell said. "That was Teddy. His time being with us [in Detroit] meant a lot, and it meant a lot to our guys. He's going to be missed."

Early promise, injury setback, and Saints success

Selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, Teddy Bridgewater showed early promise as a potential franchise quarterback. That path changed dramatically in 2016 when he suffered a severe knee injury in practice, dislocating the joint and tearing his ACL. The setback ended his time as Minnesota’s long-term starter.

He rebuilt his career with the New Orleans Saints. In 2019, while Campbell served as tight ends coach and assistant head coach, Bridgewater stepped in for an injured Drew Brees. Over five starts from Weeks 3 through 7, he threw for 1,205 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing 69.7 percent of his passes. The Saints won all five games, finished 13-3, and claimed the NFC South.

That strong performance earned Teddy Bridgewater a three-year, $63 million contract with the Carolina Panthers in 2020. He was later traded to the Denver Broncos in 2021 before linking up with Campbell again in Detroit on a one-year deal in 2023.

Final chapter and career numbers

Teddy Bridgewater appeared in 83 games with 65 starts across his career. He finished with 15,182 passing yards, 75 touchdowns, 47 interceptions, a 66.3 percent completion rate and a 90.3 passer rating. Those numbers reflect a quarterback who competed hard and earned respect in multiple locker rooms.