The Denver Broncos just did not have a clear-cut answer after former franchise legend Peyton Manning retired following the 2015 NFL Season. The team cycled through a ton of quarterbacks, and at one point, went through a slew of veterans in a near-back-to-back-to-back-to-back pattern with Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater, and Russell Wilson.
Well, Keenum and Flacco are still in the NFL. Russell Wilson retired a bit earlier in the offseason, and now, it seems like Bridgewater is nearing that decision.
On Sunday, news broke that the former Broncos quarterback, and even former player for Sean Payton, would be stepping away from his current team, the Detroit Lions.
Former Denver Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater heading toward retirement
While nothing is officially official, Bridgewater stepped away from the team, and at 33 years old, it appears like retirement is the likely decision.
#Lions QB Teddy Bridgewater has informed the team that he plans to step away from the team, with retirement likely. At age 33, Bridgewater was set to be Detroit’s backup. Now, they’ll work out a few QBs. pic.twitter.com/MpGhutmRlE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2026
Bridgewater actually retired following the 2023 season, but did come back in 2025 and played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was most recently on the Lions, and was on his second stint with the team.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell was a coach and player under Payton as well, so it actually would have not been a major shock if Bridgewater had ended up with the Broncos in the Payton era, but that obviously did not happen.
The 2021 season was the last time Bridgewater was a full-time starter as well, going 7-7 in 14 starts for the Broncos. He completed nearly 67 percent of his passes for 3,052 yards, 18 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a respectable passer rating of 94.9.
At the time, he was the best QB in the post-Manning era, and that was a rather low bar, but Bridgewater was far from a dysfunctional player. He also filled in quite nicely for the New Orleans Saints back in the 2019 season when Drew Brees was out.
He went 5-0 in five starts and tossed 9 touchdowns against just 2 interceptions. Bridgewater actually had a rather efficient three-year stretch with the Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Broncos in 2019-2021, throwing 42 touchdowns in 38 games and having a 94.4 passer rating during that stretch.
Bridgewater was the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft with the Minnesota Vikings and played 11 years in the NFL, throwing 75 touchdowns and rushing for another 11 scores. It was quite the career for Bridgewater, and his stop with the Broncos was one of many throughout his lengthy NFL career.
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