The team called off Tuesday’s practice – its last of the preseason – after Bridgewater was injured.
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Bridgewater has been being cared for at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) since suffering a catastrophic dislocation of his knee and the complete tear of his ACL Tuesday. In his statement on Tuesday night, Sugarman said Bridgewater had not suffered any nerve damage as a result of the dislocated knee.
The Vikings have said they anticipate Bridgewater will make a full recovery and his statement Thursday reaffirmed that expectation. Bridgewater will be scheduled for surgery within the next few days.
Daunte Culpepper was a quarterback the Vikings enjoyed a bit more than Bridgewater, and would have been enjoying for a long time (maybe still today?) if it wasn’t for a horrific knee injury that derailed his career.
“We’re not going to stick our heads in the sand, ” Zimmer said. “We worked too hard, our coaches and our scouts, to build this thing and go out and draft guys and develop guys to just give them away for a guy to come in here and may only be here for seven months”.
“I think the gold jacket put the seal on that one”, he said.
After growing concern for the shoulder health of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the 23-year-old was sparkling in a 23-10 preseason win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, going 12-of-16 for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Spielman said the team is looking at their options at quarterback, which presumably would include a trade or signing someone who shakes loose from another roster this weekend.
Players were visibly distraught as they exited the field, and Zimmer said he spoke with the team prior to addressing the media. The injury occurred as he was dropping back to pass and planted his foot awkwardly.
Without Bridgewater, the Vikings will turn to journeyman veteran Shaun Hill with undrafted rookie Joel Stave and Brad Sorensen, a seventh-round pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2013, as Hill’s backups.
Munnerlyn, who’s also entering his third year with the Vikings, said he felt it was important to visit his “little brother” at the hospital to let him know that it’s more than just football – the Vikings family cares about Bridgewater as a person.
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“It’s not up to me, it’s up to the coaches”, he said. He was also named to the 2016 Pro Bowl.
