After Friday night’s preseason win over the New York Giants, it was hard to miss a new face in the Lions locker room. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who signed too late in the week to play or even practice, stood tall in a white graphic t-shirt and a big smile on his face.
When we approached Bridgewater after wrapping up media time with Maurice Alexander, the veteran QB playfully deferred from answering any questions.
“I don’t have a number yet, can’t talk,” he said with a wry smile.
Bridgewater participated in his first practice on Monday, rocking a red jersey with no number on it. He’s now listed on the team’s roster as wearing No. 50.
It’s not exactly a number associated with a quarterback, but Bridgewater is embracing the unusual. He was asked after his first practice what number he will wear in Detroit.
“I’m going to wear No. 50,” Bridgewater said through laughter. “I’m going to wear 50, man.”
There is some reasoning behind the odd number: none of the traditional QB numbers are available. Every jersey between 0 and 19, the only numbers allowed by the league for a QB, is either already taken by an active player or retired. Defensive players occupy 1,2,4 and 6 right now, so they are the only numbers that Bridgewater would be allowed to double up on during the preseason.
We’ll see if Bridgewater can roll with the exotic No. 50 jersey when the Lions play the Jacksonville Jaguars on Saturday after two days of joint practices in Allen Park later this week.
