Miami Northwestern HC Teddy Bridgewater makes his thoughts on NIL very clear

By Aman Sharma

Modified Jul 10, 2024 14:46 GMT

Teddy Bridgewater is a former NFL quarterback and Miami Northwestern High School's new head football coach. He has quickly made his views on Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals known.

On Sunday, in an interview with FYm Motive, Bridgewater discussed the upsides and downsides of the impact of NIL on young athletes. Bridgewater feels NIL can significantly alter the lives of young athletes.

"I think, man, it's 50-50, man," Bridgewater said. "You got to manage that money. Yeah. You know, sometimes I'm for it. Sometimes I'm against it."

"I'm for it because it changes situations for a lot of kids. If I would have had NIL when I was 18, you know, I would have been able to take that old girl and help out around the house even more."

However, Bridgewater also noted the potential downsides of NIL deals.

"You see it affect kids in unexpected ways," Bridgewater said. "Imagine being 18 or 19, making $750,000, while your coach earns $200,000. It creates a strange dynamic. Who would you listen to in that situation?"

He further elaborated on missed opportunities from his youth.

"If NIL had existed when I was in school, we could've invested in our community," Bridgewater said. "Back then, empty lots in Miami were $5,000 to $10,000. We could've bought land, and ten years later, developed it. There were so many possibilities."

Bridgewater rose to prominence at Miami Northwestern before being a first-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2014. He understands the complexities high school athletes face. He believes NIL could be transformative for both players and their programs.

"Timing is everything," Bridgewater said. "These kids are getting this money for a reason. There are good and bad aspects, but ultimately, I'm in favor of anyone earning money."

Teddy Bridgewater anticipated return to play in a preseason game against the Chargers

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater missed last Thursday's game against the Seattle Seahawks. However, he plans to play the upcoming game against the San Diego Chargers.

Speaking to Chris Tommason of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Teddy Bridgewater expressed his intention to participate in Minnesota's third preseason game. It is likely the final one for starters before the season begins on September 11.

Earlier in the week, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer confirmed that Teddy Bridgewater had no limitations during Tuesday's practice. However, Zimmer had yet to decide how many possessions the quarterback would play.

Teddy Bridgewater was a substitute for Tua Tagovailoa with the Miami Dolphins in 2022 and for Jared Goff with the Detroit Lions in 2023. That's why he had a journeyman-like career.

In his career, Teddy Bridgewater has made 66.4% of passes, 15,120 yards, 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions in 79 games. He was the starting quarterback in 65 of them. In addition, Bridgewater would have proved to be worthy of the profit of 11 touchdowns of which he was the highest.