Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater working to rebuild his alma mater with help from a handful of Miami Hurricanes targets

Longtime NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is back in South Florida after recently being named the head coach of his alma mater, Miami Northwestern.

With the help of a handful of Miami Hurricane targets such as Calvin Russell, Antonio Branch, Nick Leannear, Tywan Cox and others, Bridgewater is excited for what the future holds for the Bulls, as he is hoping to revitalize the powerhouse program. 

“It feels great,” Bridgewater told CaneSport. “We’re excited about what we accomplished this spring, and we’re just trying to build on it going into the summer.” 

After spending the last nine years in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and most recently the Detroit Lions, Bridgewater was ready to return home. 

“I had flirted with it the last couple of years,” Bridgewater said. “So it’s finally time. I played for 10 years and didn’t really have much left to try and accomplish in the NFL. It was time to come back to the place that helped raise me and help me become a man.”

Coming back to Miami, Bridgewater is not only looking forward to helping his student-athletes on and off the field but local kids in Liberty City and the surrounding neighborhoods as well. 

For the Bulls’ final scrimmage of the spring, Northwestern hosted the matchup at Gwen Cherry Park, where hundreds of locals came out to support the program. 

“It’s great because I walked the same walk that they’re getting ready to walk,” Bridgewater said. “Growing up in Liberty City, going to summer camp out here at Gwen Cherry, playing football at Bunche Park, and growing up on 15th Ave. Some of these kids are about to embark on a journey and don’t even know what’s out there, and I just want to come back and continue to give them hope.

“It’s one thing to see your idol on TV, but when you get to walk up to them and ask them, ‘Hey, are you Teddy Bridgewater?’ and touch a Calvin Russell, Darius Johnson, or Antonio Branch, and you get to see them in the flesh, it goes a long way with these kids.” 

Earlier this spring, Bridgewater and several of his Northwestern athletes made their way down to Coral Gables to watch a Hurricanes practice and speak with the staff. While Bridgewater did not get an extensive look at the program, he believes they’re on the right track to rebuilding it, with a handful of local prospects aiding those efforts. 

“I think they’re doing some great things down there,” Bridgewater said. “I didn’t get a chance to watch as much because I was catching up to old-time faces, but I’m excited for those guys down there. They’ve got some local guys, so that’s always good as well.”

With his first spring in the books, Bridgewater knows it won’t be easy rebuilding the program, but he is ready for the challenge ahead. 

“I don’t know yet; it’s still early,” Bridgewater said when asked what people should expect from his program. “Right now, we look like a 2-8 team. We’ve got a long way to go. Trying to build and trying to get better and better.”

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