Ex-Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater shares new details from knee injury that nearly ended his career

There might've been a preexisting injury with Bridgewater's knee.
Nov 19, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images
Nov 19, 2017; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) against the Los Angeles Rams at U.S. Bank Stadium. Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images / Brace Hemmelgarn-Imagn Images
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Teddy Bridgewater is back in the news after coaching his Florida high school to a football state champion and he's claiming that he wants to make an NFL comeback. He appeared on the latest episode of The Pivot Podcast and revealed shocking new details about his scary 2016 knee injury when he was with the Vikings.

Many Vikings fans remember Bridgewater's terrifying injury that he suffered before the 2016 campaign that nearly ended his career. The severity of discolating his knee along with tearing his ACL and more structural damage was scary, but he revealed on the podcast that he might've already torn his ACL before the injury.

"Prior to that week, we played the Chargers in the new stadium. That was my first game played in the new stadium, and I had a big third-down run. I juked the defender, I think that's when I tore my ACL," Bridgewater said. "But the week went on and I was like, man, it's just camp legs, you know, I'll be alright. Let me get through today. And before practice, I was like, man, something don't feel right behind the back of my knee. It just feels crazy or something. But I was like, You know what? This last day of practice. Just shut it down, get ready for the regular season."

Despite suffering a knee injury that left him hospitalized, Bridgewater remarkably returned to the field in 2017 and he went on to work his way back to becoming a starting NFL quarterback with the Saints, Broncos and Panthers. He is still only 32 years old and last played as a backup with the Lions in 2023.

He shared that he has a real interest in returning to the NFL. He has already had a remarkable football career, but it sounds like it's far from over whether that is in coaching or playing.


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