MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Teddy Bridgewater has been an NFL quarterback as a starter, a backup and as a backup replacing a starter.
He can draw from all three experiences over nine professional seasons as he steps in for the Miami Dolphins against the New York Jets (2-2) while Tua Tagovailoa recovers from his concussion.
And because of this, the Dolphins (3-1) enter Sunday’s Week 5 game with the utmost confidence in Bridgewater leading the offense.
“That’s why you go out in free agency and spend a nice little chunk of the salary cap on a guy that, on paper, isn’t supposed to play,” said coach Mike McDaniel, who is set to start the Miami product, Bridgewater, after ruling Tagovailoa out on Monday.
Bridgewater, a former first-round pick and one-time Pro Bowl selection who is a Miami Northwestern High and Louisville alum, has 63 NFL starts under his belt. He’s 33-30 in his career. He was 7-7 last season as the Denver Broncos’ starter, and the last time he filled in as a backup to start for an injured quarterback, he went 5-0 with the 2019 New Orleans Saints replacing Drew Brees.
“It gives you a ton of confidence, just having been through this before,” Bridgewater said Wednesday. “As far as coming in or entering a game late or all types of scenarios I’ve been through in my career, experience is life’s best philosopher.
“It’s just being yourself. I can’t be Tua. I had to learn the lesson when I was in New Orleans. I can’t be Drew Brees. As long as I continue to be myself, the guys realize, ‘Man, this guy’s not faking. He’s not trying to be something he’s not.’ ”
Entering for Tagovailoa in the second quarter of last Thursday’s loss in Cincinnati, Bridgewater finished 14 of 23 for 193 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He had his ups and downs, hitting Tyreek Hill deep for a 64-yard completion, taking a momentary third-quarter lead, but he also misfired in the red zone late for an interception to put the Dolphins’ comeback hopes away.
Bridgewater has had the mini-bye week coming off the Thursday game, plus Monday practice on top of the usual Wednesday through Friday sessions he’ll have ahead of Sunday’s AFC East matchup at MetLife Stadium.
Part of the reason Bridgewater feels confident is having the receiving combo the Dolphins possess between Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Hill leads the NFL with 477 receiving yards, and Waddle is sixth with 381.
“There’s so many weapons on this team,” Bridgewater said. “I honestly believe it’s the most firepower that I’ve ever been around.”
The belief is reciprocated from the Dolphins pass catchers to the quarterback.
“I feel like Teddy comes right in and keeps us with the same momentum that we’ve had all season,” Hill said. “He’s a guy who has been in this league for a while now. So, he understands the playbook. He understands what the coaches want from him.”
Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol as he recovers from the head injury he suffered against the Bengals, and the Dolphins are taking a cautious approach.
“It’s all about — the only thing it’s about — [is] the health of the human being,” McDaniel said. “We want him to be present as much as he can, but not at any sort of cost to his process of getting himself healthy and going through that procedure. … If he’s able, he’ll be around as much as he can. He’s already got FOMO (fear of missing out). I can feel it.”
Bridgewater has the week to prepare knowing he’s starting because McDaniel ruled out Tagovailoa on Monday. Many wondered if making the call that far removed from game day had to do with the optics of having him take a blow to the head in a second straight game in Cincinnati, four days after one against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 25. The first time, Tagovailoa was cleared through concussion protocol to return for the second half. He played through a back injury in the Bills game and then started against the Bengals.
McDaniel said Wednesday his entire decision-making process revolves around the team and not the optics of a situation.
“The second that I start doing things because I think it’s some answer that somebody else wants, that’s, to me, that I’m failing at my job,” McDaniel said. “My job should start and end at what’s the best thing for the team and everybody involved — the players, and it will always be about individual players first.
He also doesn’t pay attention to the outside criticism over playing Tagovailoa through the injuries, although he was cleared by doctors. The unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant assigned to Tagovailoa’s concussion check against Buffalo, however, was terminated by the NFLPA amid its ongoing investigation into the handling of protocol.
“It would probably be hard or be crumbling if it was coming from within the team or the people that it is my job to service,” McDaniel said of the accusations on his character. “If I’m listening to that or thinking about that, let’s say, Monday night for five seconds, that’s five seconds that I’m not thinking about all the other things that relate to the team and the upcoming game.”
