Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been suspended from his high school head coaching job after just one season in charge. He led his alma mater, Miami Northwestern, to a state championship in 2024.
Why was Bridgewater suspended, and what was his reaction?
Miami Northwestern took disciplinary action after the Florida High School Athletic Association opened an investigation concerning “impermissible benefits” allegedly provided by Bridgewater to his players. In a Facebook post, Bridgewater responded to the suspension, saying he self-reported the payments.
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“The suspension came from MNW (Miami Northwestern) and it’s impossible to suspend someone who doesn’t work for you. So if I’m suspended from MNW I’m free to go to another school of my choice but I’m not going anywhere. And if it comes down to it, I will volunteer from the bleachers like I used to in 2018 and 2019 when no one had a problem.”
What is under investigation by the FHSAA?
Bridgewater took the job at Miami Northwestern after retiring from the NFL in 2024. He then led them to a 12-2 record and the Florida 3A state championship. Last week, he raised some eyebrows with a post on Facebook asking for donations to cover team expenses for the upcoming season. He listed some of the items he paid for himself in 2024.
They included $14,000 for preseason training camp, $9,500 for team athletic wear, $300 per week for field maintenance and $2,200 per week in recovery services the day before games. He also covered pregame meals and Uber rides for his players, totaling several thousand dollars per week.
Name, image and likeness compensation for players is now a part of high school football. It is legal in Florida and over 35 other states. The Florida High School Athletic Association has a page on its website dedicated to NIL payments. The changing landscape in amateur athletics has many fans and supporters online wondering why Bridgewater is in hot water over his payments. Those supporters replied by the hundreds to his Facebook messages, saying he is supporting and caring for the kids in an underserved community.
Critics argue that the benefits Bridgewater provided are perks that not every school has access to, thus tilting the playing field. The FHSAA has yet to comment on the allegations except to confirm to the Palm Beach Post that an investigation is open.
Is there a precedent for the suspension?
Last fall, several players at The First Academy in Orlando were found to have taken impermissible benefits, including free meals and Uber rides. The FHSAA hit the school with a two-year postseason ban and a $36,000 fine. Five players were initially suspended for a calendar year, but that was later overturned, and the players sat out one game.
Bridgewater was a star quarterback at Miami Northwestern, throwing for over 6,000 yards and 70 touchdowns in his high school career. He was a first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings out of Louisville in 2014. He played for seven teams in the NFL over 10 years and earned more than $64 million, according to OverTheCap.com.
Miami Northwestern is expected to be one of the premier teams in the state, if not the country, this fall, with several four and five-star-rated players. The school has not named an interim head coach in Bridgewater’s absence, with the season set to kick off on Saturday, Aug. 16.
