New York Jets quarterback Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t take the trade talk bait while remaining the perfect NFL professional.
FLORHAM PARK, NEW JERSEY—It doesn’t matter who you are. Instances will always show face in which lack of recognition and stature get the better of an individual—especially for a 25-year-old first-round quarterback whose comeback story continues to build crazy momentum.
Yet Tedd Bridgewater fools everybody. When Teddy speaks, all listening couldn’t imagine a place and time in which the kid pities himself.
Despite, arguably, owning the more impressive play up to this point in the summer, Sam Darnold may very well start for the New York Jets come Week 1. Furthermore, the Teddy B. trade rumors are in full swing (with the offensive line needing help and edge situation on defense still vacant of studs).
It doesn’t matter. There went Bridgewater on Saturday afternoon after practice, swatting away one trade question after another.
“For me, this is all about opportunity,” Bridgewater said. “I’m blessed with the opportunity to continue to do what I love to do. That’s what’s most important to me right now, just waking up every day knowing that I have the opportunity to play football. I get to come to work and challenge these guys to be the best men that they can be and the best football players that they can be. What more could you ask for?”
When attempting to gauge his own level of wellness in coming from one of the more frightening knee injuries in football history, Bridgewater feels as though the Washington Redskins game represented that final barrier.
“I don’t really know how to answer that question,” Bridgewater said. “I think for me, each week I go out there is a small test that I take myself through to continue to just see, how does this thing feel, how will it hold up? And for me, I think last week [against Washington] was like the final barrier that I had to knock down.”
Against those Skins, Bridgewater finished 10-of-15 for 127 yards to go along with a score and a pick. But hey, this is Teddy Bridgewater, the consummate professional whose teammate status just about trumps 89 players. All he’s looking to do involves the color green and the greater good of a specific organization.
“Right now, I’m just focused on getting better every day,” he said. “Being the best player I can be every day for the New York Jets.”
He even stuck with the team theme after admitting the thought that he is absolutely an NFL starting quarterback.
“Oh definitely, definitely,” he said. “But right now my primary focus is being the best teammate I can be.”
The New York Jets will get right back to practice on Sunday afternoon in preparing for the Giants next Friday night.
