When the 2019 free agency window opened last March, the Dolphins were surprisingly attached to a quarterback — former Viking and Saint Teddy Bridgewater. Because while it was clear that Miami definitely needed a new passer, all assumed that the Dolphins would make a more prominent run at a quarterback in the draft instead of signing a “win now” veteran quarterback.
But it turns out Miami’s ambition to sign Teddy Bridgewater was real and very nearly happened, according to Bridgewater himself. A South Florida native, Bridgewater is in town for this weekend’s Super Bowl and spoke to the media about nearly signing to come play in Miami with the Dolphins.
“It was very tempting,”said Bridgewater via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “You have an opportunity to be home, play in front of your family and friends, the community you grew up was very tempting.”
Had Bridgewater signed to come play for the Dolphins, who knows what other dominoes would have fallen differently. Would Bridgewater have energized this team the same way Ryan Fitzpatrick did in the back half of the season? Would the Dolphins still flipped a draft pick for quarterback Josh Rosen in April’s draft? Would Bridgewater had survived with the lack of a running game in the same way we saw from Fitzpatrick?
It is because of these questions that Bridgewater, to his credit, was probably right to pass on signing in Miami. Consider it a right place, wrong time kind of situation — which Bridgewater also alluded to.
“Coach Flores is a straightforward guy, told me, ‘We want you.’,” said Bridgewater.
“But some things just didn’t fall in place the way we all wanted it to.”
Indeed. For now, the ship seems to have sailed on Bridgewater in South Florida — given that Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen are still under contract and the Dolphins’ hunt for a long-term answer continues.
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