Teddy Bridgewater is stepping away from the NFL again, with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirming Sunday that the veteran quarterback has decided to retire. The 33-year-old informed the team of his decision after an 11-year NFL career, bringing his latest stint in Detroit to an end.
The Lions placed Bridgewater on the reserve/retired list and will now look for another quarterback to serve as Jared Goff’s backup. The former Louisville standout spent more than a decade in the league and had returned to Detroit before deciding to step away from football once again.
Former Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater Steps Away From Detroit Lions
Teddy Bridgewater has retired from the NFL for a second time, with Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirming the veteran quarterback’s decision. Campbell praised Bridgewater’s character and leadership, saying, “I’ve known Teddy a long time and the human being is unbelievable. Certainly, the player, everything that he’s about. The type of teammate he is, the way he prepares … always played the game up here and had a huge heart. He’s gonna be missed.” Bridgewater had briefly returned to Detroit after spending the 2025 season as Baker Mayfield’s backup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 33-year-old first stepped away from the NFL after the 2023 season and became head coach at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, leading the program to a Class 3A state championship. He later returned to the NFL and rejoined Detroit before spending another season in Tampa Bay. Bridgewater originally entered the league as the 32nd overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014 and also played for the Saints, Jets, Panthers and Dolphins.
Across 11 NFL seasons, he went 33-32 as a starter, completing 66.3% of his passes for 15,182 yards, 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions. His best campaign came in 2015, when he made the Pro Bowl and guided Minnesota to an 11-5 record and NFC North title. Bridgewater’s career was nearly derailed in 2016 when he suffered a severe non-contact knee injury during training camp, including a torn ACL and multiple ligament injuries. The injury forced him to miss the entire season and raised serious concerns about whether he could continue playing.
Asked whether Bridgewater could change his mind again, Campbell said, “I think he can only truly answer that, but I feel like this is where it’s at for sure right now. This is where it needs to be and where he felt. And his biggest worry was letting us down. That’s the type of guy he is and he’s not.”
Who Will Replace Teddy Bridgewater? Lions’ Backup QB Options After Retirement
With Teddy Bridgewater stepping away from the Detroit Lions during training camp, Detroit is currently left with Jared Goff and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer as the only quarterbacks on the active roster. Goff remains firmly established as the starter, while Altmyer has yet to take an NFL regular-season snap and would provide limited experience as the No. 2 option.
The Lions are expected to address the situation quickly by working out veteran free-agent quarterbacks and searching for an experienced backup. Detroit will likely add another quarterback before the preseason ends to provide reliable depth behind Goff and avoid entering the regular season with an inexperienced rookie as the primary backup.
