Teddy Bridgewater Rants About High School Football

Teddy Bridgewater retired from the NFL to coach his high school alma mater, Miami Northwestern, in Florida. While he’s enjoying some success mentoring young players, he lamented the state of high school football in a social media post.

“I left the league and became a victim to this mess down here, and I catch all the strays because I’m Coach,” Bridgewater wrote on Nov. 2. It’s uncertain what drove him to post his thoughts online. However, it could be his commentary regarding the spate of forfeitures due to teams using ineligible players.

Bridgewater and the Northwestern Bulls directly benefitted when the Florida High School Athletic Association ordered Miami Central to forfeit nine victories this season, one against Northwestern.

Therefore, the Bulls finished with a 7-2 record instead of 6-3, boosting their chances of entering the Class 3A State Championship Tournament. It’s a fantastic accomplishment, considering Northwestern finished at 4-6 last season.

Unfortunately, Miami Central’s fate wasn’t an exception. Several high school programs forfeited games due to ineligible players. In Texas, Cedar Hill Trinity Christian and Sabine Pass forfeited several games for the same reason.

Likewise, Orlando’s The First Academy is on restrictive probation due to multiple violations, including ineligible players. Georgia’s Stockbridge High School forfeited nine victories this season, while three Alabama high school football schools (Coosa Christian, Fultondale, Charles Henderson) must vacate some wins.

Here’s the 2015 Pro Bowler’s entire post on Facebook.

Teddy Bridgewater played for six NFL teams in ten seasons. In addition to the Minnesota Vikings, he also suited up for the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, and Miami Dolphins. He wrapped up his playing career with the Detroit Lions.

Miami Central was Teddy Bridgewater’s High School Football Nemesis

Coincidentally, the team Northwestern defeated by forfeit is the same school that caused misery during Bridgewater’s high school football days. In his junior year, the Bulls finished at 10-2 after losing to the Rockets. A year later, they fell short against the same team in the Class 6A state semifinals despite him throwing for 436 yards and four touchdowns.

Fast forward to 2024, and the Northwestern Bulls are the 11^th-best team in the state based on the On3 Composite Ranking as of Nov. 14. Bridgewater is coaching highly-touted prospects like safety Antonio Branch (Colorado), defensive back Tywan Cox (Illinois), wide receiver Calvin Russell, and cornerback J’Vari Flowers.

The top-seeded Bulls will face Barron Collier in the regional quarterfinals of the Florida Class 3A State Championship on Nov. 15.