Hendon Hooker embracing Teddy Bridgewater as mentor as veteran QB retires

Teddy Bridgewater is retiring from the Lions so he can coach high school football back home in Miami. But Hendon Hooker, Detroit’s rookie QB3, plans to spend plenty more time this off season learning from the journeyman.

With Bridgewater leaving the NFL, Hooker likely moves up on the Lions depth chart. The former Tennessee Vol standout missed all of the fall, his rookie season, as he recovered from reconstructive knee surgery he had in December 2022. But he learned plenty from the likes of Bridgewater, the former first-rounder from Louisville who played for seven teams in his decade-long NFL career.

Bridgewater is moving to Miami. Hooker will visit him in sunny South Florida.

“I’ve got my own place, but I will go down there and stay with Teddy this time, really hang out with Teddy and his family,” Hooker told MLive this past week. “He’s really kind of brought me into his circle, and it’s a blessing. I’ll be down there a lot. I’m eager to go down there and hang out with him.”

Because of his knee, Hooker didn’t see the field last fall. However, he was able to practice during the final few weeks of the season. He started participating in team drills in late November when the Lions opened his three-week window to indicate he was coming off IR. Then, they activated Hooker for the final month. In all, it gave him nine weeks of invaluable practice time. Jared Goff is the Lions present. He led them to the NFC title game. But Hooker very well could be Detroit’s future.

Hooker said Lions vet taught him how to be a pro

Hooker said Bridgewater was his “mentor” throughout the season, although neither was going to see snaps in the Lions offense. And there’s no reason that relationship can’t continue, even with a big change of geography.

So what were Bridgewater’s main lessons?

“I think really just how to be a pro, honestly,” Hooker said. “That just comes from Teddy. … Really just follow him around, take mental notes, little tidbits that the naked eye might not see, or coach might not see. Teddy’s been in those positions where he’s been on the field and in control.”

Hooker said he watched everything Bridgewater did at Lions practices. He especially was impressed with Bridgewater’s ease at throwing to receivers.

“Just some of the timing (is crazy),” Hooker said. “He’ll throw the ball super early, and I’m like, ‘No way!’ Then it’ll be right on the money. So some of that timing, footwork, cheat codes and mechanisms to be more efficient at the quarterback position.”