Post by Funkytown on Nov 27, 2020 20:10:48 GMT -6
Okay, so much love here. Had to start a new thread for all the feels!
‘The whole place started going crazy’: Teddy Bridgewater still loved by Vikings
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Link:
theathletic.com/2220407/2020/11/25/teddy-bridgewater-minnesota-return-injury/
ESPN:
Link:
www.espn.com/blog/carolina-panthers/post/_/id/34437/panthers-teddy-bridgewater-returns-to-minnesota-as-franchise-qb
Zone Coverage: How Teddy Bridgewater Left a Lasting Impact With the Minnesota Vikings
Link:
zonecoverage.com/2020/minnesota-vikings-news/how-teddy-bridgewater-left-a-lasting-impact-with-the-minnesota-vikings/
Mike Zimmer, Teddy Bridgewater and the ‘forever’ bond that endures
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Link:
theathletic.com/2222502/2020/11/27/mike-zimmer-teddy-bridgewater-bond
Zone Coverage: Kirk and Teddy and Contracts Oh My
Link:
zonecoverage.com/2020/minnesota-vikings-news/kirk-and-teddy-and-contracts-oh-my/
‘The whole place started going crazy’: Teddy Bridgewater still loved by Vikings
When Teddy Bridgewater returns to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Sunday, there will be a smattering of team employees and game-day workers scattered around the 66,000-seat, indoor stadium for the Panthers-Vikings matchup.
And that’s about all.
The relative quietude could not be any different than the last time Bridgewater took the field at quarterback in Minnesota when a sellout crowd gave him a rousing, standing ovation that lasted nearly a minute and was among the loudest moments in the stadium’s four-year history, according to longtime Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen.
The Week 15 game against Cincinnati in 2017 was Bridgewater’s first game since he’d suffered a devastating left knee injury that sidelined him for all of the 2016 season and most of 2017. And though Bridgewater’s appearance versus the Bengals came in mop-up duty in relief of starting quarterback Case Keenum, Vikings’ fans recognized it as a chance to salute Bridgewater’s perseverance, as well as say goodbye in what many figured would be his last hurrah in Minnesota (it was).
Bridgewater returns to the Twin Cities after missing last week’s win against Detroit with a minor injury to his other knee (Panthers coach Matt Rhule said he expects Bridgewater to play).
The normally even-keeled quarterback will try to keep his emotions in check.
“I do remember playing there and being welcomed back, feeling the love from the coaches, staff, fans, everyone involved with the Vikings’ organization,” Bridgewater said. “I’m aware that I’m getting the opportunity to go back to Minnesota, play a game there, get to see some familiar faces again. But at the end of the day, what’s most important is coming out of that game with a victory.”
And though the only noise at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday will be artificially generated, Bridgewater and everyone else in the stadium that day three years ago will never forget the cheers.
They were real … and spectacular.
Here’s what they sounded like:
On the CBS telecast
The Vikings rolled into the mid-December game against Cincinnati with a 10-3 record, needing a win to clinch the NFC North. Keenum had been excellent after replacing starter Sam Bradford, who played in only two games after aggravating a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve in November.
The Bengals were headed in the opposite direction, dragging a 5-8 record into Minneapolis after a blowout loss to Chicago the previous week. While the team was busing to the Vikings stadium Sunday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Bengals coach Marvin Lewis would resign at the end of the season. And though Lewis would return for one more season, the news was the start to a bad day for the Bengals.
As for Bridgewater, he’d been added to the Vikings’ active roster when Bradford went on IR, but had yet to play in a game. But as the Vikings built a 34-0 fourth-quarter lead, the crowd of 66,883 sensed this would be the day. As the Bengals lined up to punt with about 11 minutes left, fans began chanting: “Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!”
The roars became louder and fans stood when they saw Bridgewater put his helmet on. Before walking on the field, Bridgewater tapped his facemask and pointed skyward.
“And that’s gonna do it for Case Keenum,” CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle said. “Teddy Bridgewater is back.”
While Keenum clapped enthusiastically and tight end Kyle Rudolph encouraged the crowd by waving his arms on the sideline, the roar reached such a deafening level that Bridgewater had to put his hands over the earholes on his helmet to hear the play call on his radio receiver.
“A tremendous reception for what Bridgewater has gone through to get to this moment,” color analyst Dan Fouts said.
“It was Aug. 30, 2016 — torn ACL, left knee. It was a gruesome leg injury for Bridgewater,” Eagle reminded viewers. “Has worked his way back, and Bridgewater will see some fourth-quarter action here in Week No. 15.”
“I asked (Vikings offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur about him this week. He says he’s ready to go if needed,” Fouts added. “He’s not necessarily needed. But this is a great opportunity for him to get some reps.”
The cheers quieted a bit when Bridgewater handed off to Jerick McKinnon on first down, then picked up again when Bridgewater was announced over the P.A. system. The “Teddy” chants began anew.
The CBS cameras zoomed in on Bridgewater, who could be seen chewing gum through his facemask and shield.
“Bridgewater, the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Louisville,” Eagle said. “His reputation grew that he was clutch. Leadership ability. You could tell that this league was not too big for him.”
And that’s about all.
The relative quietude could not be any different than the last time Bridgewater took the field at quarterback in Minnesota when a sellout crowd gave him a rousing, standing ovation that lasted nearly a minute and was among the loudest moments in the stadium’s four-year history, according to longtime Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen.
The Week 15 game against Cincinnati in 2017 was Bridgewater’s first game since he’d suffered a devastating left knee injury that sidelined him for all of the 2016 season and most of 2017. And though Bridgewater’s appearance versus the Bengals came in mop-up duty in relief of starting quarterback Case Keenum, Vikings’ fans recognized it as a chance to salute Bridgewater’s perseverance, as well as say goodbye in what many figured would be his last hurrah in Minnesota (it was).
Bridgewater returns to the Twin Cities after missing last week’s win against Detroit with a minor injury to his other knee (Panthers coach Matt Rhule said he expects Bridgewater to play).
The normally even-keeled quarterback will try to keep his emotions in check.
“I do remember playing there and being welcomed back, feeling the love from the coaches, staff, fans, everyone involved with the Vikings’ organization,” Bridgewater said. “I’m aware that I’m getting the opportunity to go back to Minnesota, play a game there, get to see some familiar faces again. But at the end of the day, what’s most important is coming out of that game with a victory.”
And though the only noise at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday will be artificially generated, Bridgewater and everyone else in the stadium that day three years ago will never forget the cheers.
They were real … and spectacular.
Here’s what they sounded like:
On the CBS telecast
The Vikings rolled into the mid-December game against Cincinnati with a 10-3 record, needing a win to clinch the NFC North. Keenum had been excellent after replacing starter Sam Bradford, who played in only two games after aggravating a knee injury and was placed on injured reserve in November.
The Bengals were headed in the opposite direction, dragging a 5-8 record into Minneapolis after a blowout loss to Chicago the previous week. While the team was busing to the Vikings stadium Sunday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Bengals coach Marvin Lewis would resign at the end of the season. And though Lewis would return for one more season, the news was the start to a bad day for the Bengals.
As for Bridgewater, he’d been added to the Vikings’ active roster when Bradford went on IR, but had yet to play in a game. But as the Vikings built a 34-0 fourth-quarter lead, the crowd of 66,883 sensed this would be the day. As the Bengals lined up to punt with about 11 minutes left, fans began chanting: “Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!”
The roars became louder and fans stood when they saw Bridgewater put his helmet on. Before walking on the field, Bridgewater tapped his facemask and pointed skyward.
“And that’s gonna do it for Case Keenum,” CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle said. “Teddy Bridgewater is back.”
While Keenum clapped enthusiastically and tight end Kyle Rudolph encouraged the crowd by waving his arms on the sideline, the roar reached such a deafening level that Bridgewater had to put his hands over the earholes on his helmet to hear the play call on his radio receiver.
“A tremendous reception for what Bridgewater has gone through to get to this moment,” color analyst Dan Fouts said.
“It was Aug. 30, 2016 — torn ACL, left knee. It was a gruesome leg injury for Bridgewater,” Eagle reminded viewers. “Has worked his way back, and Bridgewater will see some fourth-quarter action here in Week No. 15.”
“I asked (Vikings offensive coordinator) Pat Shurmur about him this week. He says he’s ready to go if needed,” Fouts added. “He’s not necessarily needed. But this is a great opportunity for him to get some reps.”
The cheers quieted a bit when Bridgewater handed off to Jerick McKinnon on first down, then picked up again when Bridgewater was announced over the P.A. system. The “Teddy” chants began anew.
The CBS cameras zoomed in on Bridgewater, who could be seen chewing gum through his facemask and shield.
“Bridgewater, the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Louisville,” Eagle said. “His reputation grew that he was clutch. Leadership ability. You could tell that this league was not too big for him.”
From the broadcast booths
Allen, the Vikings’ play-by-play man, was at the preseason practice in 2016, watching team drills when Bridgewater faked to Adrian Peterson, dropped back to pass and — in Bridgewater’s words — “everything just snapped.”
Said Allen: “I was at that Tuesday practice when he went down. Of the 19 years I’ve done this, that was one of the four or five days that I never will forget.”
Allen was also at the Vikings’ regular-season practices after Bridgewater was activated in 2017, and noticed the former first-round pick doing more each week.
“Once they started pulling away from the Bengals, you just started to think, ‘Is Teddy going to get an opportunity here?’” Allen said. “So when he started to throw the ball on the sideline, right in front of where our booth is, there was a murmur that started to build.”
Allen might be best known for his “Minneapolis Miracle” call when the Vikings shocked New Orleans on Stefon Diggs’ 61-yard, walk-off touchdown in the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs. So he’s experienced U.S. Bank Stadium at its most frenzied state. Bridgewater’s ovation approached it from a noise standpoint.
“The murmur began, and when he walked out on the field — or kind of cantered — it erupted to a sound that was very close to playoff level,” Allen said. “Not like Minneapolis Miracle or when they beat the Cowboys at the Metrodome in 2009. But louder than any regular-season moment I had heard at U.S. Bank Stadium to that point.”
It wasn’t any quieter in the Bengals’ booth. “I distinctly remember that day exiting the stadium and telling anybody that would listen that that place is the loudest venue I’ve ever been in in my life,” Cincinnati play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard said. “And that was the loudest moment.”
Allen, the Vikings’ play-by-play man, was at the preseason practice in 2016, watching team drills when Bridgewater faked to Adrian Peterson, dropped back to pass and — in Bridgewater’s words — “everything just snapped.”
Said Allen: “I was at that Tuesday practice when he went down. Of the 19 years I’ve done this, that was one of the four or five days that I never will forget.”
Allen was also at the Vikings’ regular-season practices after Bridgewater was activated in 2017, and noticed the former first-round pick doing more each week.
“Once they started pulling away from the Bengals, you just started to think, ‘Is Teddy going to get an opportunity here?’” Allen said. “So when he started to throw the ball on the sideline, right in front of where our booth is, there was a murmur that started to build.”
Allen might be best known for his “Minneapolis Miracle” call when the Vikings shocked New Orleans on Stefon Diggs’ 61-yard, walk-off touchdown in the divisional round of the 2017 playoffs. So he’s experienced U.S. Bank Stadium at its most frenzied state. Bridgewater’s ovation approached it from a noise standpoint.
“The murmur began, and when he walked out on the field — or kind of cantered — it erupted to a sound that was very close to playoff level,” Allen said. “Not like Minneapolis Miracle or when they beat the Cowboys at the Metrodome in 2009. But louder than any regular-season moment I had heard at U.S. Bank Stadium to that point.”
It wasn’t any quieter in the Bengals’ booth. “I distinctly remember that day exiting the stadium and telling anybody that would listen that that place is the loudest venue I’ve ever been in in my life,” Cincinnati play-by-play announcer Dan Hoard said. “And that was the loudest moment.”
From the stands
Bridgewater was actually back in Minnesota with the Saints for a Sunday night game halfway through the 2018 season. He played one snap in New Orleans’ 30-20 victory, lining up at receiver and blocking on a run by Taysom Hill.
“We had three quarterbacks on the field for one play. Trae Waynes was covering me. Taysom Hill was the quarterback. Drew Brees was split out wide on the other side,” Bridgewater said. “I think the play didn’t really work, but that’s all I can really remember.”
Among the 66,000-plus in attendance for Bridgewater’s 2017 return was Panthers receiver Brandon Zylstra. The Minnesota native had just finished his second CFL season and had recently worked out for the Vikings, who would sign him to a futures contract two weeks after the Bengals game.
So when a high school buddy called with a ticket, Zylstra — who’d grown up in a small town two hours west of Minneapolis — agreed to join him. Zylstra said he’d been a big Vikings fan who liked watching Randy Moss and Cris Carter catch touchdowns and who attended the Panthers-Vikings game in 2014 in the frigid conditions at U. of M. So he was stoked to see Minnesota build a 34-0 lead on Rudolph’s 1-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter.
“At that point, I turned to my friend and was like, ‘I wonder if Teddy’s getting in,’” Zylstra recalled. “And right as I’m saying that, you start hearing: ‘Teddy! Teddy!’ The whole place started going kind of crazy.”
Zylstra’s seat was in the end zone in the lower bowl — in the same end where the Vikings’ offense took over at its 16 following a Bengals punt. He said the energy was palpable when fans realized Zimmer was changing quarterbacks.
“I remember Case Keenum kind of going nuts. Then once (Bridgewater) actually started strapping up the helmet and walking out, the place just erupted,” Zylstra said. “It might have been one of the loudest times I’ve heard U.S. Bank — and I played in there for a full year, too.
“That was a pretty special moment for a lot of Minnesota sports fans, in general. Everybody kind of had a love for Teddy, liked the way he handled himself on and off the field,” Zylstra added. “Then to overcome that gruesome injury, all of Minnesota really was just rooting for him and excited for him to be out there again, doing what he loves.”
Bridgewater’s final line from his three series: 0-for-2 passing (Michael Floyd dropped Bridgewater’s other throw); three rushes for minus-3 yards, which came on three kneel-downs at the end of the game. And one of the best ovations in Vikings history.
It was appropriate the game ended with the ball in Bridgewater’s hands and the Vikings in victory formation.
“When he was going through his rehab, throughout that whole year, and he was finally getting in a position where he could work out, he ended up every one of his workouts with a take-a-knee victory kneel,” Zimmer said. “So that tells you the kind of kid he is.”
Zylstra is glad he was able to experience Bridgewater’s send-off in Minneapolis, saying he “got goosebumps watching in the stands.”
Now, Zylstra will be a part of Bridgewater’s homecoming game at a mostly empty U.S. Bank Stadium. Even with no fans in the building this time, Zylstra said Bridgewater should feel the love.
“He’s really gotta know that Minnesota will always love him. Minnesota will always respect him. … He’s a starting quarterback in the NFL now. He resurrected his career after he thought it might be over,” Zylstra said.
“I know Minnesota’s excited for him. I don’t know if they’re gonna be technically rooting for him. They want their Vikings to win. The Vikings are making that little playoff push. But they’re definitely going to be excited for him.”
Bridgewater was actually back in Minnesota with the Saints for a Sunday night game halfway through the 2018 season. He played one snap in New Orleans’ 30-20 victory, lining up at receiver and blocking on a run by Taysom Hill.
“We had three quarterbacks on the field for one play. Trae Waynes was covering me. Taysom Hill was the quarterback. Drew Brees was split out wide on the other side,” Bridgewater said. “I think the play didn’t really work, but that’s all I can really remember.”
Among the 66,000-plus in attendance for Bridgewater’s 2017 return was Panthers receiver Brandon Zylstra. The Minnesota native had just finished his second CFL season and had recently worked out for the Vikings, who would sign him to a futures contract two weeks after the Bengals game.
So when a high school buddy called with a ticket, Zylstra — who’d grown up in a small town two hours west of Minneapolis — agreed to join him. Zylstra said he’d been a big Vikings fan who liked watching Randy Moss and Cris Carter catch touchdowns and who attended the Panthers-Vikings game in 2014 in the frigid conditions at U. of M. So he was stoked to see Minnesota build a 34-0 lead on Rudolph’s 1-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter.
“At that point, I turned to my friend and was like, ‘I wonder if Teddy’s getting in,’” Zylstra recalled. “And right as I’m saying that, you start hearing: ‘Teddy! Teddy!’ The whole place started going kind of crazy.”
Zylstra’s seat was in the end zone in the lower bowl — in the same end where the Vikings’ offense took over at its 16 following a Bengals punt. He said the energy was palpable when fans realized Zimmer was changing quarterbacks.
“I remember Case Keenum kind of going nuts. Then once (Bridgewater) actually started strapping up the helmet and walking out, the place just erupted,” Zylstra said. “It might have been one of the loudest times I’ve heard U.S. Bank — and I played in there for a full year, too.
“That was a pretty special moment for a lot of Minnesota sports fans, in general. Everybody kind of had a love for Teddy, liked the way he handled himself on and off the field,” Zylstra added. “Then to overcome that gruesome injury, all of Minnesota really was just rooting for him and excited for him to be out there again, doing what he loves.”
Bridgewater’s final line from his three series: 0-for-2 passing (Michael Floyd dropped Bridgewater’s other throw); three rushes for minus-3 yards, which came on three kneel-downs at the end of the game. And one of the best ovations in Vikings history.
It was appropriate the game ended with the ball in Bridgewater’s hands and the Vikings in victory formation.
“When he was going through his rehab, throughout that whole year, and he was finally getting in a position where he could work out, he ended up every one of his workouts with a take-a-knee victory kneel,” Zimmer said. “So that tells you the kind of kid he is.”
Zylstra is glad he was able to experience Bridgewater’s send-off in Minneapolis, saying he “got goosebumps watching in the stands.”
Now, Zylstra will be a part of Bridgewater’s homecoming game at a mostly empty U.S. Bank Stadium. Even with no fans in the building this time, Zylstra said Bridgewater should feel the love.
“He’s really gotta know that Minnesota will always love him. Minnesota will always respect him. … He’s a starting quarterback in the NFL now. He resurrected his career after he thought it might be over,” Zylstra said.
“I know Minnesota’s excited for him. I don’t know if they’re gonna be technically rooting for him. They want their Vikings to win. The Vikings are making that little playoff push. But they’re definitely going to be excited for him.”
Link:
theathletic.com/2220407/2020/11/25/teddy-bridgewater-minnesota-return-injury/
ESPN:
Bridgewater’s unselfish attitude is one of the many reasons he was so popular with teammates.
“In the 10 years I’ve been here, he has to be the most likeable player that we’ve had in the locker room," Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said. “I mean, you just talk to people in the front office, coaching staff, players that played with him ... everyone loved Teddy.
“To see Teddy back as a franchise quarterback and playing really well ... for me, as a huge Teddy Bridgewater fan, it’s good to see."
“In the 10 years I’ve been here, he has to be the most likeable player that we’ve had in the locker room," Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph said. “I mean, you just talk to people in the front office, coaching staff, players that played with him ... everyone loved Teddy.
“To see Teddy back as a franchise quarterback and playing really well ... for me, as a huge Teddy Bridgewater fan, it’s good to see."
Link:
www.espn.com/blog/carolina-panthers/post/_/id/34437/panthers-teddy-bridgewater-returns-to-minnesota-as-franchise-qb
Zone Coverage: How Teddy Bridgewater Left a Lasting Impact With the Minnesota Vikings
The much-beloved passer is preparing to face his former team for the third time — but for the first time as a starter. After three seasons away from Minnesota, however, the novelty of facing Teddy (yes, they’re on a first-name basis with him) doesn’t seem to have worn off for Vikings fans. Social media has been set ablaze with old Bridgewater videos, memories of his cataclysmic 2016 injury and his triumphant 2017 return. Local writers were invited to join his Wednesday press conference to see how the wildly popular former quarterback is adjusting to his new home in Carolina, where he’s off to just a 3-7 start as their full-time quarterback.
Bridgewater’s local popularity exceeds that of many former Vikings who had longer and more prosperous careers in Minnesota. Bridgewater, for instance, only won three more career games than Ponder. In his two years as a starter, he’d yet to blossom into the gregarious, eclectic public figure he is today. His stats were extremely ordinary. Yet he remains arguably the most revered former Viking playing in the league right now.
It seems the hybrid of Bridgewater’s shyness combined with his competitiveness and work ethic endeared him to the fan base indefinitely.
“He’s just one of those guys that’s always in a good mood,” head coach Mike Zimmer said, agreeing with Rudolph’s assessment of Bridgewater’s likeability. “Everybody gravitates towards him. Nothing really phases him, just goes about his business.”
The 32nd overall pick in 2014 draft, Bridgewater was associated with an exciting time in the franchise’s history. There was a no-nonsense new coach, a state-of-the-art stadium on the way and a Super Bowl not far behind. It’s not hard to understand why fans would remember the 2014-15 seasons fondly.
Or maybe Vikings fans just like their quarterbacks in short bursts, having nobody to cling to in the long-term since Fran Tarkenton. Brett Favre, Randall Cunningham, Case Keenum, Bridgewater. Those are the popular ones. Daunte Culpepper? Kirk Cousins? Ponder? Familiarity, they say, can only breed contempt, or at least the urge to nitpick.
Rather than overstaying his welcome, Bridgewater understayed due to circumstances out of his control — circumstances that also demonstrated his drive and unique ability to galvanize others. Bridgewater’s knee gave out in late August of 2016, one year before he might’ve signed a handsome fifth-year option on his contract, perhaps two years before negotiating a life-changing contract extension. All that was gone in one seemingly harmless dropback at a Tuesday practice. There was speculation he could lose his leg and along with it his career.
“Well, when he got hurt, we went back and looked at the history of people who had had that injury,” Zimmer said. “There wasn’t very many of them. I think there was one basketball player, one football player. I think the basketball player came back after 24 months, and he didn’t have a long career. So for [Teddy] to come back after 16 months, or whatever it was, it’s very unique and one-of-a-kind.”
A career-threatening injury might’ve aged Bridgewater’s knee prematurely, but it also seemed to expedite his maturation. The moxie he was preparing to display in the huddle as a third-year quarterback instead got manifested in the training room. Rudolph said he was “the most positive one in the room” despite everything in his life that had been jeopardized. In 2017, Bridgewater took then-rookie Dalvin Cook under his wing after Cook’s own torn ACL.
“I was just happy that I had him in my corner when I got here,” Cook said. “I was just so far away from home and I’d never been this far away. And just to have a guy in my corner that can relate to me and know what I’ve been through with some of the struggles and knowing the effect of being away from home, it was great for me to sit back and analyze Teddy’s situation. … It’s something that carried on with me forever.”
How did Bridgewater find the strength to persevere? From the outside, his 2016 season was spent in a cocoon. Bridgewater didn’t speak to reporters for a year after his injury. It was only after his reemergence that fans started to understand why Bridgewater’s selflessness seemed to implant with everyone he encountered.
“I just remind myself that there’s always somebody out there going through something 10 times worse than what I may have gone through,” Bridgewater said Wednesday, “or what I may be experiencing at the moment. It’s all about the mindset that I have. … It’s all about how I maximize my 24 hours. I see myself as a humble servant. One of my pursuits in life is to make people around me better.”
Bridgewater’s local popularity exceeds that of many former Vikings who had longer and more prosperous careers in Minnesota. Bridgewater, for instance, only won three more career games than Ponder. In his two years as a starter, he’d yet to blossom into the gregarious, eclectic public figure he is today. His stats were extremely ordinary. Yet he remains arguably the most revered former Viking playing in the league right now.
It seems the hybrid of Bridgewater’s shyness combined with his competitiveness and work ethic endeared him to the fan base indefinitely.
“He’s just one of those guys that’s always in a good mood,” head coach Mike Zimmer said, agreeing with Rudolph’s assessment of Bridgewater’s likeability. “Everybody gravitates towards him. Nothing really phases him, just goes about his business.”
The 32nd overall pick in 2014 draft, Bridgewater was associated with an exciting time in the franchise’s history. There was a no-nonsense new coach, a state-of-the-art stadium on the way and a Super Bowl not far behind. It’s not hard to understand why fans would remember the 2014-15 seasons fondly.
Or maybe Vikings fans just like their quarterbacks in short bursts, having nobody to cling to in the long-term since Fran Tarkenton. Brett Favre, Randall Cunningham, Case Keenum, Bridgewater. Those are the popular ones. Daunte Culpepper? Kirk Cousins? Ponder? Familiarity, they say, can only breed contempt, or at least the urge to nitpick.
Rather than overstaying his welcome, Bridgewater understayed due to circumstances out of his control — circumstances that also demonstrated his drive and unique ability to galvanize others. Bridgewater’s knee gave out in late August of 2016, one year before he might’ve signed a handsome fifth-year option on his contract, perhaps two years before negotiating a life-changing contract extension. All that was gone in one seemingly harmless dropback at a Tuesday practice. There was speculation he could lose his leg and along with it his career.
“Well, when he got hurt, we went back and looked at the history of people who had had that injury,” Zimmer said. “There wasn’t very many of them. I think there was one basketball player, one football player. I think the basketball player came back after 24 months, and he didn’t have a long career. So for [Teddy] to come back after 16 months, or whatever it was, it’s very unique and one-of-a-kind.”
A career-threatening injury might’ve aged Bridgewater’s knee prematurely, but it also seemed to expedite his maturation. The moxie he was preparing to display in the huddle as a third-year quarterback instead got manifested in the training room. Rudolph said he was “the most positive one in the room” despite everything in his life that had been jeopardized. In 2017, Bridgewater took then-rookie Dalvin Cook under his wing after Cook’s own torn ACL.
“I was just happy that I had him in my corner when I got here,” Cook said. “I was just so far away from home and I’d never been this far away. And just to have a guy in my corner that can relate to me and know what I’ve been through with some of the struggles and knowing the effect of being away from home, it was great for me to sit back and analyze Teddy’s situation. … It’s something that carried on with me forever.”
How did Bridgewater find the strength to persevere? From the outside, his 2016 season was spent in a cocoon. Bridgewater didn’t speak to reporters for a year after his injury. It was only after his reemergence that fans started to understand why Bridgewater’s selflessness seemed to implant with everyone he encountered.
“I just remind myself that there’s always somebody out there going through something 10 times worse than what I may have gone through,” Bridgewater said Wednesday, “or what I may be experiencing at the moment. It’s all about the mindset that I have. … It’s all about how I maximize my 24 hours. I see myself as a humble servant. One of my pursuits in life is to make people around me better.”
Link:
zonecoverage.com/2020/minnesota-vikings-news/how-teddy-bridgewater-left-a-lasting-impact-with-the-minnesota-vikings/
Mike Zimmer, Teddy Bridgewater and the ‘forever’ bond that endures
A few hours after his most beloved player dislocated his knee in a freak injury, Mike Zimmer stood in front of a portable podium. It was a warm, sunny evening in late August of 2016 as Zimmer tried to grapple with the most surreal day of his coaching career.
No player had made an impact on the grizzly coach quite like Teddy Bridgewater, and now, here was Zimmer trying to process the sight of Bridgewater being whisked away in an ambulance.
Zimmer called Bridgewater’s mom a few times that day. He spoke with Bill Parcells, his longtime mentor. He talked “in spirit,” he said as he pointed to the sky, with his dad who had passed away the year before. He thought back to the day seven years earlier when he lost his wife Vikki.
“It was a tough day,” he said of his wife’s passing. “But the sun came up the next day and the world kept spinning.”
Zimmer was about to start his third season at the helm of the Vikings. He liked the trajectory of his defense. He liked the culture that was building. But it was the quarterback he loved.
“I never thought that I’d have another quarterback throughout my career other than him,” Zimmer said in 2018 and has since repeated multiple times.
But the injury derailed the quick path to stardom that it seemed Bridgewater was on with the Vikings. A year and a half later, it stung Zimmer that the team didn’t re-sign the quarterback, but he understood why after the medical staff delivered a bleak outlook on Bridgewater’s long-term prognosis.
Bridgewater’s road became winding. He went to the Jets then the Saints. This offseason, buoyed by a seven-game stint leading New Orleans, Bridgewater defied the odds of the Vikings’ medical report and became the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback. He’s back at what feels a rightful place for him, leading an upstart NFL team, now headed back to Minnesota for the first time as a starting quarterback.
Before the injury, Zimmer thought they’d share game days at U.S. Bank Stadium for years to come. Bridgewater was supposed to be the franchise player who broke in the billion-dollar project. Instead, Sunday will be his second appearance and first start at the stadium.
He and Zimmer will be on opposite sidelines, but the pair are forever linked. For one of them, Sunday is a reminder of the plan as originally constructed, a test against the player long believed Zimmer’s favorite. For the other, it’s the completion of a prolonged journey that started in the back of an ambulance four years ago and culminates with his first start in the building he was supposed to call home.
No player had made an impact on the grizzly coach quite like Teddy Bridgewater, and now, here was Zimmer trying to process the sight of Bridgewater being whisked away in an ambulance.
Zimmer called Bridgewater’s mom a few times that day. He spoke with Bill Parcells, his longtime mentor. He talked “in spirit,” he said as he pointed to the sky, with his dad who had passed away the year before. He thought back to the day seven years earlier when he lost his wife Vikki.
“It was a tough day,” he said of his wife’s passing. “But the sun came up the next day and the world kept spinning.”
Zimmer was about to start his third season at the helm of the Vikings. He liked the trajectory of his defense. He liked the culture that was building. But it was the quarterback he loved.
“I never thought that I’d have another quarterback throughout my career other than him,” Zimmer said in 2018 and has since repeated multiple times.
But the injury derailed the quick path to stardom that it seemed Bridgewater was on with the Vikings. A year and a half later, it stung Zimmer that the team didn’t re-sign the quarterback, but he understood why after the medical staff delivered a bleak outlook on Bridgewater’s long-term prognosis.
Bridgewater’s road became winding. He went to the Jets then the Saints. This offseason, buoyed by a seven-game stint leading New Orleans, Bridgewater defied the odds of the Vikings’ medical report and became the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback. He’s back at what feels a rightful place for him, leading an upstart NFL team, now headed back to Minnesota for the first time as a starting quarterback.
Before the injury, Zimmer thought they’d share game days at U.S. Bank Stadium for years to come. Bridgewater was supposed to be the franchise player who broke in the billion-dollar project. Instead, Sunday will be his second appearance and first start at the stadium.
He and Zimmer will be on opposite sidelines, but the pair are forever linked. For one of them, Sunday is a reminder of the plan as originally constructed, a test against the player long believed Zimmer’s favorite. For the other, it’s the completion of a prolonged journey that started in the back of an ambulance four years ago and culminates with his first start in the building he was supposed to call home.
Zimmer took to Bridgewater early on, too. He’s not exactly known as a player’s coach, but he praised his young quarterback to anyone who would listen. He had several calls with Parcells telling the former coach that he’d found his franchise quarterback.
So when the injury happened, Zimmer was shaken. He had been on the other side of the field and didn’t see Bridgewater fall when, as Bridgewater later described it, “everything just snapped.”
Zimmer tried to exchange a few words with his quarterback, but the medical situation was too dire for a conversation. The Vikings were working just to ensure that Bridgewater didn’t need an amputation.
Zimmer spoke later that day about not putting their heads in the sand and the fact that their upcoming opponents weren’t going to take it easy on them. He said they’d grieve for a day, then would have to move forward. But to those around him every day, it was clear how hard Zimmer was hit by Bridgewater’s injury. It wasn’t just that Bridgewater was the leader of a team trying to defend their NFC North championship, but he had quickly become one of the few players that could draw a smile out of Zimmer on the practice field.
“Mike Zimmer is the biggest Teddy Bridgewater fan I think I’ve ever met in my life,” said Paul Allen, the play-by-play voice of the franchise. “Mike loved Teddy the person, and loved how Teddy played the game, where he’s not gonna kill the game, but he’s probably not gonna explode. But it’s going to let Zim’s defense dictate the tempo. Zim was downtrodden for days after the Teddy situation.”
Even after the Vikings traded for Sam Bradford in an attempt to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive, Zimmer remained attached to the first quarterback he drafted. A few days after emergency surgery, Bridgewater began returning to the facility for rehab work.
The training room isn’t a place often visited by head coaches, but when Bridgewater was there, Zimmer would stop by to catch up. During one September visit to the training room, Bridgewater was sitting on a table shoeless. Usually, Xavier Rhodes helped him take the shoes off and put them back on since Bridgewater couldn’t yet reach his feet. But on this occasion, Zimmer took the task for himself. He helped Bridgewater get his shoes on and then tied the laces.
“I’m the shoe-tier,” Zimmer proudly said.
So when the injury happened, Zimmer was shaken. He had been on the other side of the field and didn’t see Bridgewater fall when, as Bridgewater later described it, “everything just snapped.”
Zimmer tried to exchange a few words with his quarterback, but the medical situation was too dire for a conversation. The Vikings were working just to ensure that Bridgewater didn’t need an amputation.
Zimmer spoke later that day about not putting their heads in the sand and the fact that their upcoming opponents weren’t going to take it easy on them. He said they’d grieve for a day, then would have to move forward. But to those around him every day, it was clear how hard Zimmer was hit by Bridgewater’s injury. It wasn’t just that Bridgewater was the leader of a team trying to defend their NFC North championship, but he had quickly become one of the few players that could draw a smile out of Zimmer on the practice field.
“Mike Zimmer is the biggest Teddy Bridgewater fan I think I’ve ever met in my life,” said Paul Allen, the play-by-play voice of the franchise. “Mike loved Teddy the person, and loved how Teddy played the game, where he’s not gonna kill the game, but he’s probably not gonna explode. But it’s going to let Zim’s defense dictate the tempo. Zim was downtrodden for days after the Teddy situation.”
Even after the Vikings traded for Sam Bradford in an attempt to keep their Super Bowl hopes alive, Zimmer remained attached to the first quarterback he drafted. A few days after emergency surgery, Bridgewater began returning to the facility for rehab work.
The training room isn’t a place often visited by head coaches, but when Bridgewater was there, Zimmer would stop by to catch up. During one September visit to the training room, Bridgewater was sitting on a table shoeless. Usually, Xavier Rhodes helped him take the shoes off and put them back on since Bridgewater couldn’t yet reach his feet. But on this occasion, Zimmer took the task for himself. He helped Bridgewater get his shoes on and then tied the laces.
“I’m the shoe-tier,” Zimmer proudly said.
The decision to move on from Bridgewater hadn’t been an easy one. After the gruesome injury, the Vikings commissioned a study to see how other athletes fared after suffering the same fate. There weren’t many to compare Bridgewater to. There was a basketball player who had returned to health 24 months after the injury but didn’t have a long career after that. There might’ve been a soccer player, too, but Zimmer can’t remember all the details. “There wasn’t very many,” Zimmer said of potential comparisons.
So when decision time came that offseason, Vikings brass wanted to go in a direction with less risk. They’d all seen the report that indicated long-term success was questionable at best for Bridgewater, and they already had a team coming off an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. So they chose to sign Cousins.
At that circular table in Orlando, Zimmer pushed around his eggs as he reflected on Bridgewater’s progress and the report that doomed his future in Minnesota.
“I thought he was doing good in practice,” Zimmer said that day. “The reports I’d get back from medical people weren’t as positive as I was about him. That’s kind of how it came down. His knee wasn’t — he still had some recovering to do. But when I watched him in practice, he moved well. I didn’t see limitations, but from what I was told, there were some. … But it was out of my hands.”
Bridgewater tries not to think much about that August day that changed his life forever. Last spring, he was the recipient of a three-year, $63 million contract with the Panthers and wants to help turn them into a playoff contender. Before games is about the only time he thinks about the injury, not for what it meant but because of how he overcame it. He takes a moment to himself on the sideline and tells himself: “You’re blessed.”
“I say those two words to myself knowing what I’ve gone through to get back to this point,” Bridgewater said.
Those who spent years with him still think about that day though. Kyle Rudolph still remembers that he was running a comeback route on the fateful play in 2016. Bridgewater faked a handoff to Adrian Peterson then was supposed to look Rudolph’s way. But when Rudolph turned to look for the ball, he saw Bridgewater on the ground and others running away from him.
“Obviously I knew something was seriously wrong then,” Rudolph said.
Later that day, the tight end went with Peterson and former Vikings safety Michael Griffin to visit Bridgewater in the hospital. They were nervous. Bridgewater’s entire career was just put in jeopardy. What kind of spirits would he be in? Would he even want to see anyone? But when they walked in, the quarterback was the same, upbeat guy as every other day.
“He was the most positive one in the room and he was the one sitting in the hospital bed not knowing if he would ever play football again,” Rudolph said.
Doctors had discussed amputation earlier in the day. It wasn’t clear if Bridgewater would ever run again let alone play football. But in the hospital bed that day, Bridgewater joked with Peterson that he’d recover from his knee injury better than Peterson famously did in 2012 when he won MVP.
“That was Teddy’s positivity and outlook on everything,” Rudolph said.
That’s part of why Bridgewater became so beloved in Minnesota, Rudolph said. There was nothing fake about him and his positive energy was infectious even if, to Bridgewater, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“I was just being Teddy,” Bridgewater said.
Of course, that left a mark on Zimmer, part of why their relationship lives on today. The head coach still checks in with Bridgewater every now and then to see how he’s doing. They shared a few text messages after the NFL schedule was released and revealed that the pair would be facing each other at U.S. Bank Stadium the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Zimmer told Bridgewater that he’d be rooting for him in 15 games this season. “Just not when we played them,” Zimmer said.
It has touched Bridgewater that their relationship has continued beyond his departure from the Vikings. It would’ve been easy for them to drift apart as they became competitors. Instead, they still talk and root for each other. On Sunday, they’ll surely meet somewhere near midfield before the game. They were supposed to have several afternoons together at this stadium, back when they seemed the perfect complement to each other. Zimmer was able to teach Bridgewater all about NFL defenses, and Bridgewater made the cranky coach smile a bit more.
But an injury has taken them to opposing sidelines, at least for one day. Zimmer will try to get his defense back on track against the quarterback he chose in 2014. Bridgewater will try to beat his former mentor and inspire confidence for what’s to come in Carolina.
And then afterward, Zimmer will go back to rooting for Bridgewater and vice versa. Fate may have taken their paths to opposing organizations. But Bridgewater never questioned whether their relationship would continue.
“Zim, he’s a genuine guy,” Bridgewater said. “And when two genuine folks mesh, those bonds stick forever.”
So when decision time came that offseason, Vikings brass wanted to go in a direction with less risk. They’d all seen the report that indicated long-term success was questionable at best for Bridgewater, and they already had a team coming off an appearance in the NFC Championship Game. So they chose to sign Cousins.
At that circular table in Orlando, Zimmer pushed around his eggs as he reflected on Bridgewater’s progress and the report that doomed his future in Minnesota.
“I thought he was doing good in practice,” Zimmer said that day. “The reports I’d get back from medical people weren’t as positive as I was about him. That’s kind of how it came down. His knee wasn’t — he still had some recovering to do. But when I watched him in practice, he moved well. I didn’t see limitations, but from what I was told, there were some. … But it was out of my hands.”
Bridgewater tries not to think much about that August day that changed his life forever. Last spring, he was the recipient of a three-year, $63 million contract with the Panthers and wants to help turn them into a playoff contender. Before games is about the only time he thinks about the injury, not for what it meant but because of how he overcame it. He takes a moment to himself on the sideline and tells himself: “You’re blessed.”
“I say those two words to myself knowing what I’ve gone through to get back to this point,” Bridgewater said.
Those who spent years with him still think about that day though. Kyle Rudolph still remembers that he was running a comeback route on the fateful play in 2016. Bridgewater faked a handoff to Adrian Peterson then was supposed to look Rudolph’s way. But when Rudolph turned to look for the ball, he saw Bridgewater on the ground and others running away from him.
“Obviously I knew something was seriously wrong then,” Rudolph said.
Later that day, the tight end went with Peterson and former Vikings safety Michael Griffin to visit Bridgewater in the hospital. They were nervous. Bridgewater’s entire career was just put in jeopardy. What kind of spirits would he be in? Would he even want to see anyone? But when they walked in, the quarterback was the same, upbeat guy as every other day.
“He was the most positive one in the room and he was the one sitting in the hospital bed not knowing if he would ever play football again,” Rudolph said.
Doctors had discussed amputation earlier in the day. It wasn’t clear if Bridgewater would ever run again let alone play football. But in the hospital bed that day, Bridgewater joked with Peterson that he’d recover from his knee injury better than Peterson famously did in 2012 when he won MVP.
“That was Teddy’s positivity and outlook on everything,” Rudolph said.
That’s part of why Bridgewater became so beloved in Minnesota, Rudolph said. There was nothing fake about him and his positive energy was infectious even if, to Bridgewater, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“I was just being Teddy,” Bridgewater said.
Of course, that left a mark on Zimmer, part of why their relationship lives on today. The head coach still checks in with Bridgewater every now and then to see how he’s doing. They shared a few text messages after the NFL schedule was released and revealed that the pair would be facing each other at U.S. Bank Stadium the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Zimmer told Bridgewater that he’d be rooting for him in 15 games this season. “Just not when we played them,” Zimmer said.
It has touched Bridgewater that their relationship has continued beyond his departure from the Vikings. It would’ve been easy for them to drift apart as they became competitors. Instead, they still talk and root for each other. On Sunday, they’ll surely meet somewhere near midfield before the game. They were supposed to have several afternoons together at this stadium, back when they seemed the perfect complement to each other. Zimmer was able to teach Bridgewater all about NFL defenses, and Bridgewater made the cranky coach smile a bit more.
But an injury has taken them to opposing sidelines, at least for one day. Zimmer will try to get his defense back on track against the quarterback he chose in 2014. Bridgewater will try to beat his former mentor and inspire confidence for what’s to come in Carolina.
And then afterward, Zimmer will go back to rooting for Bridgewater and vice versa. Fate may have taken their paths to opposing organizations. But Bridgewater never questioned whether their relationship would continue.
“Zim, he’s a genuine guy,” Bridgewater said. “And when two genuine folks mesh, those bonds stick forever.”
Link:
theathletic.com/2222502/2020/11/27/mike-zimmer-teddy-bridgewater-bond
Zone Coverage: Kirk and Teddy and Contracts Oh My
I have no idea what it’s like, while stuck in a failing marriage, to attend a high school reunion and come face-to-face with your “what could’ve been” ex-girlfriend. I assume it has the potential for about three hours of regretful misery. Well this Sunday, Vikings fans might be in for the NFL version of that exact situation.
You would be hard-pressed to find a more divisive athlete in Minnesota sports history than Kirk Cousins.
Maybe it’s the gigantic guaranteed contract and subsequent extension. Maybe it’s that he arrived in Minnesota, fresh off the Vikings NFC Championship loss, and was seen as the final piece to a Super Bowl puzzle. Maybe it’s in his seemingly below average play in endless important moments. Maybe it’s that he has the personality of someone that even accountants would think is a nerd. Whatever the reason, Cousins is an absolute magnet for the haters. Every single opportunity to take a shot at the quarterback is lined up and taken.
From a likability standpoint, Teddy Bridgewater is the anti-Kirk. A fun, charismatic quarterback that even fans who weren’t a big believer in his talent will rarely spill a bad word about. This was the case even before his traumatic leg injury.
Truthfully, Bridgewater doesn’t possess the arm strength or natural quarterbacking abilities that Cousins does and although he’s had far less opportunity to this point, his statistical accomplishments don’t come close to Kirk’s. He possesses a mobility and pocket awareness that Vikings fans long for but beyond that, it would be hard to argue that he’s a superior quarterback from a pure talent standpoint. Yet his cool leadership ability and pension for coming through in the clutch are the exact things many Vikings fans are currently longing for.
While the well paid Cousins is asked, week in and week out, to be barely more than a game manager that helps Dalvin win, the lesser paid Teddy easily possesses the necessary skills for the same task. But when a game is on the line, Carolina fans can approach the situation with cautious optimism while Vikings fans bear down and get their best curse words ready.
Sunday afternoon, the Ghost of Vikings Quarterback Past will come face-to-face in US Bank Stadium with its present. The man the Vikings have, or are stuck with based on your viewpoint, will see the man that many would rather have under center.
In an incredibly tumultuous season where a lot of early struggles could be pinned on the quarterback’s mistakes, this is a moment where Kirk needs to come through. Even if only for his own sake.
Delivering a turd on Sunday would not only essentially eliminate Minnesota’s already slim playoff hopes but would ratchet up a fan base that is already geared and ready to shout about the QB and the GM who gave him his contracts.
There is little room for error here.
If Kirk plays poorly and Teddy plays well, the haters will get louder. If Kirk and Teddy both play game manager but the Panthers win, the haters will get louder. And heaven forbid, if Kirk fails to play well in an endgame situation and Teddy comes through in the clutch, you might as well avoid Vikings related conversations for a couple months. Cousins NEEDS to play very well this weekend or an organization and its fan base might find themselves standing by the punchbowl in the gymnasium trying to plot a way out of the horrible situation they’ve found themselves in.
You would be hard-pressed to find a more divisive athlete in Minnesota sports history than Kirk Cousins.
Maybe it’s the gigantic guaranteed contract and subsequent extension. Maybe it’s that he arrived in Minnesota, fresh off the Vikings NFC Championship loss, and was seen as the final piece to a Super Bowl puzzle. Maybe it’s in his seemingly below average play in endless important moments. Maybe it’s that he has the personality of someone that even accountants would think is a nerd. Whatever the reason, Cousins is an absolute magnet for the haters. Every single opportunity to take a shot at the quarterback is lined up and taken.
From a likability standpoint, Teddy Bridgewater is the anti-Kirk. A fun, charismatic quarterback that even fans who weren’t a big believer in his talent will rarely spill a bad word about. This was the case even before his traumatic leg injury.
Truthfully, Bridgewater doesn’t possess the arm strength or natural quarterbacking abilities that Cousins does and although he’s had far less opportunity to this point, his statistical accomplishments don’t come close to Kirk’s. He possesses a mobility and pocket awareness that Vikings fans long for but beyond that, it would be hard to argue that he’s a superior quarterback from a pure talent standpoint. Yet his cool leadership ability and pension for coming through in the clutch are the exact things many Vikings fans are currently longing for.
While the well paid Cousins is asked, week in and week out, to be barely more than a game manager that helps Dalvin win, the lesser paid Teddy easily possesses the necessary skills for the same task. But when a game is on the line, Carolina fans can approach the situation with cautious optimism while Vikings fans bear down and get their best curse words ready.
Sunday afternoon, the Ghost of Vikings Quarterback Past will come face-to-face in US Bank Stadium with its present. The man the Vikings have, or are stuck with based on your viewpoint, will see the man that many would rather have under center.
In an incredibly tumultuous season where a lot of early struggles could be pinned on the quarterback’s mistakes, this is a moment where Kirk needs to come through. Even if only for his own sake.
Delivering a turd on Sunday would not only essentially eliminate Minnesota’s already slim playoff hopes but would ratchet up a fan base that is already geared and ready to shout about the QB and the GM who gave him his contracts.
There is little room for error here.
If Kirk plays poorly and Teddy plays well, the haters will get louder. If Kirk and Teddy both play game manager but the Panthers win, the haters will get louder. And heaven forbid, if Kirk fails to play well in an endgame situation and Teddy comes through in the clutch, you might as well avoid Vikings related conversations for a couple months. Cousins NEEDS to play very well this weekend or an organization and its fan base might find themselves standing by the punchbowl in the gymnasium trying to plot a way out of the horrible situation they’ve found themselves in.
zonecoverage.com/2020/minnesota-vikings-news/kirk-and-teddy-and-contracts-oh-my/
... and neither is this Chris guy.