The Lions’ quarterback room took a surprising turn Sunday as Teddy Bridgewater steps away from the team, leaving Detroit searching for a veteran backup behind Jared Goff.
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell spoke with the media Sunday morning and delivered significant news regarding the team’s quarterback room.
Campbell said veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is stepping away from the team, with retirement appearing to be the likely outcome. The Lions subsequently placed Bridgewater on the reserve/injured list.
Campbell praised Bridgewater for his leadership and presence in the locker room, saying the veteran’s decision was largely influenced by his belief that he was not performing at the level he expected of himself and did not want to let the team down.
Bridgewater, who spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Lions before playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, returned to Detroit this offseason.
The 33-year-old has spent time with the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers since entering the NFL in 2014.
Bridgewater’s career has included a number of significant injuries. Most notably, he suffered a dislocated left knee and multiple ligament tears in 2016 that threatened his career. He also has dealt with ankle injuries, an MCL sprain and multiple concussions.
Bridgewater appeared to be working through some rust during training camp, throwing multiple interceptions in practice. Still, his value to the Lions extended beyond his performance on the field.
He was well regarded as a locker room leader and developed a strong relationship with wide receiver Jameson Williams during his time in Detroit.
With Bridgewater stepping away, undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer is currently the only other quarterback behind Jared Goff on the roster.
Campbell said Altmyer has continued to improve throughout camp but still needs “a million reps” as he develops.
“He’s growing, he’s getting better,” Campbell said. “He’s improved.”
Campbell also confirmed that the Lions still plan to add a veteran quarterback, potentially as soon as Monday.
That would give Detroit some insurance behind Goff while allowing Altmyer additional time to develop rather than immediately being thrust into the role of the team’s primary backup.
Altmyer has impressed throughout training camp and has shown enough to generate optimism within the organization. However, relying on an undrafted rookie as Goff’s No. 2 quarterback would be a significant responsibility for a player who has yet to take an NFL snap.
Several veteran quarterbacks remain available, including Jimmy Garoppolo and John Wolford.
Garoppolo would provide Detroit with significant NFL and playoff experience. The veteran quarterback has spent much of his career as both a starter and backup having played in Super Bowl-caliber offenses, making him a potentially reliable option behind Goff.
Wolford is another intriguing possibility because of his familiarity with both Goff and Lions general manager Brad Holmes. Wolford was part of the Los Angeles Rams’ organization in 2020, when Holmes was the team’s director of scouting and Goff was the starting quarterback.
Wolford famously started a 2020 NFC wild-card game against the Seattle Seahawks after Goff suffered a thumb injury. Wolford left the game in the first quarter with a neck injury, forcing Goff to enter the game and eventually lead the Rams to a 30-20 victory.
With Bridgewater now stepping away, the Lions will likely turn to the veteran quarterback market. The move would allow Detroit to maintain experienced depth behind Goff while giving Altmyer more time to develop.
For now, the Lions appear committed to keeping Altmyer in the mix, but Campbell made it clear Sunday that the team is not finished addressing the quarterback position.
