Bridgewater talks teaching suspension at Bucs coaching camp

Talking for the primary time publicly since his teaching suspension from his alma mater, Miami Northwestern Excessive Faculty, new Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater mentioned at coaching camp Wednesday that he was merely attempting to guard his gamers.

“I am protecting and I am a father first earlier than something,” mentioned Bridgewater, who was suspended by the college for offering what have been deemed impermissible advantages. “These gamers turned my sons.”

Bridgewater mentioned in a Fb put up soliciting donations that he paid $14,000 to conduct a camp for gamers with “three sizzling meals a day from native black owned eating places and a snack on a few of these days,” $9,500 for matching clothes, $300 per week to color the sphere, $1,300 per week for restoration vans, $2,200 for the crew’s weekly pregame meal and $700 per week on Uber rides.

Bridgewater was suspended seven days after creating the put up.

“Miami Northwestern is in a troublesome neighborhood. Generally issues can occur when children are strolling dwelling. I used to be simply attempting to guard them,” mentioned Bridgewater, who led this system to a state championship in 2024.

Teddy Bridgewater talks about his suspension from teaching highschool resulting from impermissible advantages that included Uber and meals for gamers. “Miami Northwestern is in a troublesome neighborhood. Issues can occur when children are strolling dwelling. I used to be simply attempting to guard them.” pic.twitter.com/7NH3U9bTIz

— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 6, 2025

According to U.S. Information & World Report, 75% of the scholars on the college are thought-about economically deprived, with 72% qualifying free of charge lunch underneath the Nationwide Faculty Lunch Act.

“I can not change who I’m due to the foundations. I’ve an enormous coronary heart, I get it from my mother,” Bridgewater mentioned. “I used to be as soon as these children. I do know what it is prefer to be of their sneakers. I do know what it is prefer to stroll these halls at Miami Northwestern and to have your abdomen growling and rumbling at 12:00 within the afternoon as a result of you did not have any lunch cash or you aren’t getting the free lunch. So I can not change who I’m.”

Bridgewater nonetheless plans to assist his former gamers in no matter methods he can, calling himself the “neighborhood hope vendor.” He is hopeful his presence on the Buccaneers can function additional inspiration.

“They see a lot hope once they have a look at me,” he mentioned.