LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The headlines Monday screamed: "Teddy Bridgewater suspended." They dropped like an indictment.
I hope you'll read beyond the headline.
Bridgewater acknowledged paying for Uber rides, meals and "recovery services" — training and physical therapy — for his players at Miami Northwestern High School, his alma mater. These are the kinds of services that are covered by booster clubs or private donors at many top-tier high schools or club programs.
But because he paid for them himself — and posted about it publicly — Bridgewater is now accused of providing impermissible benefits under Florida high school athletic rules.
Let me be very clear: Whether or not he broke a rule, Bridgewater didn't break faith with the kids he was trying to lift up.
Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford
The former Louisville star made $65 million in a 10-year NFL career but didn't opt for an easy retirement. If you know him, that's no surprise. You knew he'd be back in the community somehow — probably right where he grew up.
I've been there. Years ago, Pat Doney and I flew to Miami to do a story on Bridgewater's childhood friend and Louisville teammate, Eli Rogers, whose mother was living with AIDS. The neighborhood was one of the poorest and most dangerous in the country. When we arrived, a street had been taped off for a drive-by shooting investigation.
This is where Bridgewater's player pool comes from. This is the community he went back to serve.
So no, Bridgewater wasn't buying kids SUVs. He was helping them get home.
He wasn't handing out designer gear. He was buying cleats.
He wasn't taking kids to steakhouses. He was covering basic nutrition.
He wasn't chasing headlines with a championship — though they did win one.
He was paying for the treatment they needed to stay healthy enough to keep playing.
When he asked parents publicly to help meet those expenses, he drew the attention of state authorities. And the school, likely looking to protect itself, suspended him.
Could this have been handled better? Sure. Somebody — either the school or Bridgewater — should've found a way to structure his giving within the rules. If anything, this feels more like bad paperwork than bad intentions.
And that's where this becomes more than just a local Florida story.
Plenty of wealthy private schools do find ways to provide meals, rides, and medical care — often to a more affluent class of athlete. That's why so many in the NFL community spoke up quickly and forcefully via social media on Bridgewater's behalf.
"If it wasn't for people (coaches) like Teddy I wouldn't have made it," former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman said. "It was times we didn't have food growing up so my club coaches made sure I was fed. Many times we couldn't afford gas so they gave me a ride, I couldn't afford cleats so they made sure I had cleats. He should be thanked not punished."
From Robert Griffin III: "He got suspended for taking care of his players when they were in need, teaching them how to take care of their bodies and giving them the necessities to help them chase their dreams for a brighter future. Not cheating. Not stealing. Just caring. He gave them the tools to chase a better future and is getting punished for it. Suspending Teddy Bridgewater isn't justice. It's punishing love, leadership, and sacrifice."
Longtime NFL defensive end Cam Jordan put it like this: "Private schools shell out money to players, other schools recruit in the NIL era, and he's being suspended for helping his players? Feeding his players? Make that make sense."
They're right. Bridgewater should've followed the proper channels. But casting him aside for this? That doesn't sit right.
From where I sit, he hasn't disqualified himself from coaching. If anything, he reminded us why people rooted for him in the first place.
Quick Sips
• More clarity after the scare at Run 4 Roses: A false alarm shut down the girls' basketball tournament Sunday after a loud noise triggered panic and evacuation. Thankfully, there was no threat — but the fear was real. Read what the investigation revealed here.
• Greg Sankey opens SEC Media Days: The commissioner didn't drop bombs, but gave subtle hints on SEC scheduling and playoff structure. Catch up here.
The Last Drop
"Basic necessities and resources that the kids needed — and this is what you do?"
— Chad Johnson on Teddy Bridgewater's suspension
