Teddy Bridgewater Leaves Lions, Placed on Reserve/Retired List
Teddy Bridgewater has stepped away from the Detroit Lions and been placed on the reserve/retired list. The 33-year-old is expected to retire from the NFL again.
Veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has stepped away from the Detroit Lions. Head coach Dan Campbell shared the news on Sunday. The team placed the 33-year-old on its reserve/retired list ahead of Sunday's practice, and he is expected to retire from the NFL for a second time.
Campbell spoke highly of him. He called Bridgewater a great person and teammate, and said he "is gonna be missed." Campbell also said he believes this retirement could be the last one, though only Bridgewater can truly answer that.
ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport both reported the move. Bridgewater told the team he was ready to walk away from football. He had missed the last two practices of camp for an undisclosed reason.
What it means for the Lions
Bridgewater was set to be the main backup to starter Jared Goff. With him gone, undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer is now the only other quarterback on the roster behind Goff. The Lions are expected to work out veteran quarterbacks in the coming days to add depth. A signing could come as soon as Monday.
Lions HC Dan Campbell announced that veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater is stepping away from the team. pic.twitter.com/Uvgf9cLc1D
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 9, 2026
A career with two retirements
This is the second time Bridgewater has stepped away from the game. He first retired after the 2023 season to become the head coach at his old high school, Miami Northwestern. In his first year there, he led the team to a Florida Class 3A state title in 2024.
He did not stay away long. In December 2024, Bridgewater came out of retirement and signed with the Lions to back up Goff during their playoff run. In 2025, he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he played in four games behind Baker Mayfield. He signed a one-year deal to return to Detroit in March 2026, then decided to leave during training camp.
Career numbers
Bridgewater was a first-round pick, taken 32nd overall by the Minnesota Vikings out of Louisville in the 2014 draft. A knee injury in 2016 changed the path of his career, but he kept finding work, first as a starter and later as a trusted backup.
Over 11 seasons, he played for seven teams: the Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Lions. He made one Pro Bowl. He finished his career with 15,182 passing yards, 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions, along with a 33-32 record as a starter across 83 games.
