Zimmer was afraid Bridgewater would lose confidence after Cassel injury
Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer admitted that he was afraid that rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater would lose confidence after being thrust into the starting lineup earlier this season, according to The St. Paul Pioneer-Press.
Bridgewater took over as a the team's starter in Week 3 when Matt Cassel was lost for the season with a broken foot.
“I know this guy's got a chance to be the guy for a long, long time here, and what I was nervous about at the beginning of the year was I didn't want to get him beat up," Zimmer said, according to The Pioneer-Press.
Bridgewater has started the last 10 games for the Vikings, going 5-5 in that stretch. He is completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,451 yards with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Minnesota this season and has been sacked 32 times.
“You think back on some of the quarterbacks that have had to play as rookies, or been playing as rookies and got the heck beat out of them, and they haven't made it," Zimmer said.
The Vikings (6-8) are set to miss the playoffs for the second-straight season. They take on the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
- Scooby Axson
