Buccaneers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater saw his career as a high-school coach in Miami end after other coaches complained that he was spending his own money to help his players.
An effort is now underway to allow high-school coaches in Florida to do that.
Via Andy Villamarzo of Rivals.com, the Florida Senate has passed a “Teddy Bridgewater Act” that would allow coaches to use up to $15,000 of their own money to support student-athletes with food, transportation, and recovery services.
The bill still must pass the Florida House of Representatives and be signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.
If it becomes law, the Teddy Bridgewater Act potentially opens Pandora’s box. How will anyone accurately track expenditures? And what’s to stop the coach from becoming the conduit for boosters to funnel more than $15,000 to players?
Bridgewater’s situation came to light when he asked Northwestern fans to help him pay for Ubers, pre-game meals, and athletic services. He was suspended and then resigned, returning to the NFL for the 2025 season.
In 2024, Bridgewater coached Miami Northwestern to a state championship before joining the Lions after the high-school season ended.
Bridgewater, 33, is due to become a free agent next month. It’s unclear whether passage of the law would prompt him to return to high-school coaching.
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