Excitement pulsated out of Detroit Lions practice on Thursday with the return of veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. The retired backup to Jared Goff was back in the building and once again part of the Lions, taking reps in practice just as the word of his rejoining the team filtered out.
Head coach Dan Campbell praised Bridgewater’s veteran presence and experience. He also made it abundantly clear that bringing Bridgewater back was in no way a reflection on the incumbent backup QB, Hendon Hooker.
Hooker is in his second season and has played sparingly behind starter Jared Goff. The 2023 third-round pick spent most of his rookie campaign recovering from a knee injury suffered in college at Tennessee, learning from Bridgewater in the process.
“Doesn’t mean that we are disappointed in Hooker,” Campbell admonished preemptively in his pre-practice press conference. “That’s not what this means.”
“This just gives us someone that has played a lot in the NFL — we’re getting ready for the playoffs,” Campbell continued.
Back to Hooker. Campbell was asked about his progress.
“He’s improved, he really has,” coach Campbell enthused. “We feel like every week he’s gotten a little bit better. And this does not mean that Hooker is out–that’s not what this means.”
Campbell then offered a little more clarity after indicating that both Hooker and Bridgewater might play in the coming weeks.
“I understand what it looks like, but it’s just a different world that we’re getting ready to walk into. And I just felt like this (signing Bridgewater) is the right thing to do — especially with somebody that I have a tremendous amount of trust with, and for.”