In his first season coaching football after retiring from the NFL, former Louisville Cardinals star and pro quarterback Teddy Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern Senior High School to the Class 3A Florida High School Athletic Association state title on Saturday night. Bridgewater, who took over this year as coach for his alma mater, led the Bulls to a 41-0 triumph over previously undefeated Raines.
With a state title, Bridgewater capped off a swift turnaround for Miami Northwestern after the team had gone 4-6 in 2023. The Bulls went 12-2 on the season, finishing the year on a 10-game winning streak and outscoring its opponents 262-12 in five postseason games. With its 2024 triumph, Miami Northwestern now has a claim to eight state titles overall.
After excelling as a player at Miami Northwestern, Bridgewater starred in college at Louisville before being taken by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Although a devastating knee injury in 2016 derailed his career, Bridgewater went on to once again become a starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos while also playing for the New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
Bridgewater, 32, retired from playing to pursue coaching after spending the 2023 season as a backup on the Lions.
