Over the weekend, the Detroit Lions were met with the abrupt departure of veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was expected to serve as the club’s backup behind starter Jared Goff.
Upon Bridgewater’s departure, the expectation was that it was to announce his retirement from the NFL.
While no official announcement was made at the time of his departure, that news is now making the rounds on social media.
Former Detroit Lions Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater Has Officially Announced His Retirement From The NFL
On Monday, Bridgewater confirmed his retirement from the NFL as reported by the League’s official X account.
It was a somber reaction from Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who spoke in glowing terms of Bridgewater on Sunday at the club’s Performance Center in Allen Park.
“Bridgewater is going to step away,” Campbell said. “I’ve known (Bridgewater) a long time, and man, the human being is unbelievable.
“Certainly, the player, everything he’s about, the kind of teammate he is and the way he prepares. Always played the game up here (pointing to his head) and had a huge heart. He’s going to be missed.”
“I’ll never forgot 2019 (in New Orleans) when Drew (Brees) got injured we had just gone out to the Rams and got beat out there and (Brees) got his thumb (hurt) and we lost him for five weeks and (Bridgewater) stepped in and won five in a row,” Campbell said. “That was (Bridgewater).”
Bridgewater returned to Detroit three times since first joining the Lions in 2023, primarily serving as Goff’s backup. His latest reunion with the team came during the most recent offseason and training camp, following another re-signing during Detroit’s 2024 playoff run.
Over 83 career appearances, including 65 starts, Bridgewater managed to compile a 33-32 record as a starter while completing 66.3% of his passes for 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.
Among the clubs that Bridgewater spent time with were the Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Lions Signed Nine-year Veteran Josh Dobbs To Offset The Loss Of Bridgewater
Shortly after commending Bridgewater’s professionalism, Campbell acknowledged that the Lions were planning on signing a replacement to compete for the backup role with the untested Luke Altmyer.
“We’re going to add somebody,” Campbell said. “We like (Altmyer). (He) is growing … getting better. He just needs reps. He needs a million reps, but the reps that he has gotten at this point he has improved and so we like him. But we are going to add someone. We’d like to add a veteran quarterback. We’re hoping something happens (Monday). That’s the plan.”
To offset the loss of Bridgewater, the Lions signed nine-year veteran Josh Dobbs on Sunday.
Dobbs spent the 2025 season as the New England Patriots’ No. 2 quarterback after previously making stops with several other teams, including the 49ers, Cardinals, Vikings, Titans, and Steelers.
Pittsburgh selected him in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he saw his most extensive starting opportunity in 2023, when he made 12 starts between Arizona and Minnesota.
Across his NFL career, Dobbs has thrown for 3,346 yards with 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions, while adding 515 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.
Former Lions Veteran Quarterback Officially Announces Retirement