Former NFL QB turned Florida high school coach suspended amid investigation

Teddy Bridgewater was one heck of a college football quarterback, and despite never living up to his billing as a first-round pick in 2014, he made a decent career for himself in the NFL as a backup.

Bridgewater left the NFL to coach his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High School in Miami, Florida, in February of 2024.

In his first season at Miami Northwestern, he led the school to a state championship, helping secure a 41-0 victory in the Florida Class 3A state championship game. He then promptly unretired and re-joined the Detroit Lions, his last team, as a backup in December of 2024.

He's back on the high school sidelines heading into this season, but Bridgewater's next campaign with the Bulls has hit a roadblock.

The former NFL quarterback acknowledged in a Facebook post that the high school has suspended him. This comes in the wake of the news that the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) started an impermissible benefits investigation into Bridgewater and his program last week after allegations were received.

The root of the allegations was a Facebook post made by Bridgewater that was asking for donations to the football program because he had spent a significant amount of his own money in 2024 on things like Uber rides for players ($700 per week), a preseason training camp, team swag, recovery trucks ($1,300 a week) and pregame meals ($2,200 a week).

Notably, The First Academy of Orlando was found guilty of similar violations in November of 2024 by the FHSAA. It was forced to forfeit eight wins, pay a fine of $36,000 and accept a two-year postseason ban.