I’m sure the film, “Forrest Gump,” rings a bell to many cinephiles — but most importantly, we saw that Gump wasn’t ‘born’ to do anything, does not have valid reasons to take the jobs he takes. Gump just did. Let’s just say, it’s the same way for a humble star quarterback in the National Football League — and that’s Theodore Bridgewater Jr. The 25-year-old leading Heisman contender — who was once called “Gump,” back when he played high school football because his teammates and coaches thought it would be a great acronym for him which stood for “Great Under Major Pressure.” And he definitely is.
Bridgewater Jr. is an American professional football player who is a quarterback for the New York Jets. Not to mention, he has been awarded many titles since joining the NFL, such as getting sent to the Pro Bowl. He has also recorded 6,150 yards since joining with the Minnesota Vikings in 2014.
Teddy Bridgewater Jr. Net Worth 2018: $5 million
At one point on the field, Bridgewater Jr. signed a four-year contract worth $6.85 million with a $3.3 million signing bonus with the Minnesota Vikings. However, his contract would not toll into the 2018-19 season. How come? Well, he decided to land with the New York Jets as a free agent, and he could be making up to $15 million on the one-year deal. As for base salary, he will make around $5 million on the deal.
Early Years
For Bridgewater Jr., his discipline was developed at a very young age, in part, by his father, Teddy Sr., an Army veteran. And so did his passion and love for football begin when he was just a kid. He was born in Miami, Florida on November 10, 1992. For high school, he attended Miami Northwestern, where he began to shine as a prominent quarterback. It was his sophomore year when he took over as starting quarterback and was later regarded as a four-star recruit, becoming the sixth-best dual-threat quarterback prospect in the nation. Upon graduating from high school, Bridgewater attended the University of Louisville and took his team to the 2013 Sugar Bowl to win it as underdogs, as well as being named the game’s MVP. It’s not just his athleticism that makes him stand out — but it’s his ability to overcome great adversity professionally and personally without losing faith once.
2014-2018
In 2014, Bridgewater Jr. was officially was a Viking, after being drafted as the 32nd and final pick of the first round of the draft. Despite an injury to his ankle, he managed to score his first NFL career touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons on his opening day as a starter. A few weeks later, he threw his first NFL career touchdown against the Buffalo Bills and was definitely making a name for himself early on with the Vikings. As the season came to a close, he was selected as the quarterback of the 2014 NFL All-Rookie team by the Pro Football Writers of America. On top of that, he won the 2014 Pepsi Rookie of the Year award, as voted by fans.
In 2015, this was arguably the best year of his career. When he faced against a tight defensive team, the Detroit Lions, he went 25 of 35, 316 yards, two touchdown passes and no interceptions. It wasn’t until January 25, 2016, when he was named to his first Pro Bowl.
In 2016, things looked ugly for Bridgewater Jr. as he suffered a non-contact injury to his left leg. As a result, he missed the 2016 NFL season.
In 2017, Bridgwater Jr. was hopeful to return back in action and continue to chase his stats. But unfortunately, his wish didn’t come true due to his injury just yet. When Week 15 came around, he entered the game against the Cincinnati Bengals and received a standing ovation as the Vikings went on to win that game, 34-7.
In 2018, the most unexpected thing happened for Bridgewater Jr. He was considered a free agent as the Minnesota Vikings decided not to exercise their fifth-year option and he landed to the New York Jets signing a one-year contract with a $500,000 signing bonus.