Even though Bridgewater only threw 14 touchdowns previous year, he paced a run-first offense that helped the Vikings win the division and come within a missed field goal of beating the Seahawks in the playoffs.
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When asked if he thought there was any chance that Bridgewater would play this season, Zimmer simply said that “it doesn’t look good right now”.
Shortly after suffering the knee injury, an ambulance arrived at Winter Park to presumably take Bridgewater to the hospital, where he will undergo further tests. After just 25 minutes, practice was called off when Bridgewater went down in the pocket and immediately clutched his left knee.
Third-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a “significant knee injury” during a non-contact drill during Tuesday’s practice and said it’s possible Bridgewater could be lost for the season. He said he spoke to Bridgewater’s mother several times to keep her updated, had some phone conversations with mentor Bill Parcells and even talked “in spirit” to his father Bill, an ex-coach who died last summer, about how to best handle the situation.
Bridgewater dropped back to pass during a drill and planted his foot before crumpling to the ground. “We’re not going to make excuses”.
The next man up for the Vikings is now Shaun Hill, who has started a total of 34 games in his 15-year National Football League career.
“I have confidence in Shaun”, Zimmer said.
But there is little behind Bridgewater on the depth chart, with veteran Shaun Hill the primary backup.
The Vikings host Los Angeles Rams in their final preseason game Thursday night. “I think he’s played great this preseason”. Undrafted rookie Joel Stave from Wisconsin is the only other quarterback now on the roster. When Bridgewater was held out against the Seattle Seahawks in Minnesota’s second preseason game, as a precaution over a reported sore shoulder, Hill got the start. Zimmer said that he would let people know either this evening or tomorrow.
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“This is about a team and about us trying to find a way to win football games”, he said. “We will all feel bad if it is real significant for Teddy”. They don’t need a insane aerial assault in order to win football games.
