Earlier than Teddy Bridgewater was taking snaps on “Sunday Evening Soccer” for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, he was teaching Miami Northwestern Senior Excessive’s soccer program. And regardless of departing underneath controversial circumstances, Bridgewater remains to be supporting his former group.
The 33-year-old attended Miami Northwestern’s state semifinal recreation towards Bishop Moore of Orlando and watched the Bulls roll to a 52-21 win and clinch their second straight journey to the Class 3A Florida championship. After the sport, practically the whole group rallied to the stands to have a good time with Bridgewater, who flashed an enormous smile the whole time.
Bucs QB & former Miami-Northwestern HC Teddy Bridgewater reveals like to his gamers after their 52-21 Closing 4 victory over Bishop Moore!
They’ll tackle Raines within the 3A Florida championship 🔥 (📸: @305Sportss) pic.twitter.com/uNj6R5gubC
— Jaret Rojas (@RojasTalksTampa) December 6, 2025
Final 12 months, Bridgewater coached the group to a 3A state title. Miami Northwestern completed 4-6 the 12 months earlier than Bridgewater took over. In 2024, they began 2-2, then received their final 10 video games together with the championship. The NFL veteran grew up within the Liberty Metropolis neighborhood close to the varsity and was a star quarterback at Miami Northwestern.
“It’s a particular place,” Bridgewater informed The Athletic in January. “I sit on the porch with my uncles and cousins and we chortle on the standard tales. It’s a spot I may at all times go and have a superb time even for those who have been kicked out of the home or have been late on lease and received evicted.”
Bridgewater paid out-of-pocket to supply facilities corresponding to a chilly tub, sauna and massages. He introduced in barbers and a chef who cooked wholesome pregame meals for the group. He started the season with a conventional NFL-style coaching camp, having the children keep on the college for 5 nights. They slept in sleeping luggage on the gymnasium flooring whereas he slept on a small cot. He paid for 3 sq. meals and a snack day by day for greater than 70 gamers (at a value of $3,500 per day).
However in July, the varsity suspended him amid an investigation by the Florida Excessive College Athletic Affiliation (FHSAA) into alleged impermissible advantages supplied by Bridgewater. The week earlier than he was suspended, Bridgewater requested Northwestern followers on Fb for donations for participant bills, together with pregame meals and Uber fares.
In a Fb publish after the suspension, Bridgewater disagreed with the varsity’s determination however mentioned, “(If) it comes all the way down to it, I’ll volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when nobody had an issue.”
He re-joined the NFL after the suspension was levied, signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In August, Bridgewater addressed the suspension, saying he was a “protector” and that he was making an attempt to supply gamers with a trip residence in a “powerful neighborhood.” However he remained upbeat about his former highschool group’s possibilities for the approaching season.
“I believe now that I’m again within the league, it’s truly going to be additional motivation for them as effectively as a result of they’ll get to play a recreation on Friday evening and doubtless get to drive throughout the state and are available watch the Bucs play and see Coach on the sideline,” Bridgewater mentioned in August.
Now, he’ll get an opportunity to return the favor and watch his former highschool attempt to win a second straight state title, albeit from the stands. Miami Northwestern faces Raines of Jacksonville on Friday in a rematch of the 2024 championship.
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