Teddy Bridgewater is walking away from football again. The veteran quarterback has left the Detroit Lions in the middle of training camp and was placed on the reserve/retired list, coach Dan Campbell announced.
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Bridgewater, 33, had missed two practices for an undisclosed reason before making his decision. Campbell indicated that, this time, the retirement may actually stick.
"I feel like this is where it's at for sure right now," Campbell said. "This is where it needs to be and where he felt."
Bridgewater previously retired following the 2023 season and turned his attention to coaching high school football. That retirement didn't last long.
He returned to the NFL with Detroit late in the 2024 season, spent last year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then signed with the Lions again in March to back up Jared Goff.
Campbell said Bridgewater's biggest concern when making the decision was that he might be letting the Lions down.
"That's the type of guy he is, and he's not," Campbell said. "He meant a lot."
Detroit moved quickly to replace him, agreeing to a one-year deal with veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs, according to NFL Network.
If this really is the end, Bridgewater closes out an NFL career that began when the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the first round of the 2014 draft.
The 2015 Pro Bowler played for seven NFL teams and threw for 15,182 yards and 75 touchdowns while making 65 career starts.
"I've known Teddy a long time and the human being is unbelievable," Campbell said. "He's going to be missed."
