Buccaneers' Teddy Bridgewater surprises high school team before Steelers game

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater had to leave his position as head coach at Miami Northwestern High School after he was suspended for providing his players with impermissible benefits, but he most certainly hasn't forgotten about them now that he's back in the NFL.

Bridgewater made his debut for the Bucs last Saturday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but before he did, he made sure to check in with his former players. Bridgewater facetimed the team before he started the game, and afterward, he'd go on to complete six passes, two of them for touchdowns.

Teddy Bridgewater FACETIMED his Miami Northwestern team last night 🥹👏

Bridgewater was in his Buccaneers jersey ahead of throwing 2 TDs versus the Steelers. MNW won 40-3.@coach_h2o @mnw_fb @Buccaneers @NFL pic.twitter.com/f9nFSdtuE4
— 305 Sports (@305Sportss) August 17, 2025

Bridgewater didn't expect to be in an NFL uniform so soon, and it's partly because of how the end of his tenure at Miami Northwestern (for now) went down.

Teddy Bridgewater joined Buccaneers after coaching controversy

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (16) warms up before a preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Bridgewater did, indeed, give his players impermissible benefits — but those benefits included Uber rides, training equipment and food for his players. There was some controversy over his suspension after it was handed down to him, given the nature of the benefits, and Bridgewater spoke a bit about what had happened when he first came to Tampa Bay.

“I think everyone knows that I’m just a charitable guy, and I’m a father first before anything. When I decided to coach, those players became my sons,” Bridgewater said during training camp. "And I just wanted to protect them in the best way I can. Miami Northwestern is in a tough neighborhood, and sometimes things can happen when kids are walking home and things like that, so I wanted to protect them so they could take a ride home instead of going on those dangerous walks.”

Bridgewater retains a relationship with his players, and he even made sure to shout them out after his preseason debut with the Buccaneers. Miami Northwestern faced off against Lakeland the night the Bucs played the Steelers, and they defeated Lakeland 40-3.

"I do want to give a shoutout to Miami Northwestern," Bridgewater said. "They beat Lakeland tonight, so shoutout to them."

Teddy Bridgewater still in ‘coach mode’ and giving a shoutout to Miami Northwestern for their 40-3 victory tonight over Lakeland. pic.twitter.com/VdS8jDd95W
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 17, 2025

No one knows what the future holds for Bridgewater, but the link between him and Miami Northwestern is still strong. He may go back once his tenure in Tampa Bay is over, but for now, he'll be preparing to get a good share of reps during the Bucs' final preseason game against the Buffalo Bills.

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