How will Teddy Bridgewater’s time with the Panthers be remembered?
By Dean Jones
Teddy Bridgewater’s stint with the Carolina Panthers lasted just one season, but how will his time with the franchise be remembered?
Moving on from an iconic quarterback such as Cam Newton was a big move for the Carolina Panthers to make. The 2015 NFL MVP transformed the organization from also-rans to legitimate Super Bowl contenders during the mid-2010s and he was beloved by almost every member of the team’s fanbase due to his approachability and the way he left everything out on the field.
Injuries meant Newton was not the signal-caller of old and he barely saw the field over his last two years in Carolina. The introduction of head coach Matt Rhule resulted in the Panthers cutting the player in a messy departure that still leaves a sour taste in the mouth with some. Wounds that might not heal over time from the player’s point of view.
Teddy Bridgewater was the man chosen to replace Newton. The former first-round pick earned another starting opportunity after going 5-0 under center for the New Orleans Saints in 2019, with his previous relationship working alongside offensive coordinator Joe Brady something else that obviously tipped the scales in his favor.
There was some real hope that Bridgewater would make the most of this chance no matter what most thought about the move. He fitted in well in difficult circumstances during the offseason and earned the respect of his teammates. But it didn’t take long for the cracks to show and this trend continued to such a degree that the Panthers were left with no alternative other than to look elsewhere when the campaign came to a conclusion.
Carolina’s search for an upgrade saw them come close to landing Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions before the Los Angeles Rams came in with a better offer. Their willingness to go all-in for Deshaun Watson was well documented and the Panthers finally found their man when they traded three draft picks to acquire Sam Darnold from the New York Jets.
Bridgewater was shipped to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-rounder, leaving his career hanging in the balance once again.