New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater just loves football, at any level. Whether it’s watching his peers compete in the NFL each week or joining high school athletes on the sidelines of a state championship game, he wants to be there.
So when he heard that the St. James Wildcats were about to kick off the Class AAA state title from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, Bridgewater jumped at the opportunity. He biked over from his home in the Warehouse District as he does every week, and quietly made his way through the tunnels beneath the Superdome to grab a first-row seat on the Wildcats’ bench. He picked the right side, because they won in a 51-14 landslide.
But there’s more to Bridgewater’s decision to spend his Friday night cheering on high schoolers and watching a football game. As he wrote later from his official Twitter account, “You gotta let them see you in the flesh. I grew up wanting to be like someone I saw on TV but I never met. Now we are in this influential position aka “on TV,” why not go hard for these youngin’s out here chasing their dreams? I’m here to help you chase that dream in real life.”
You love to see it. Bridgewater is an avid fan of high school sports and the connections he can make with younger athletes, returning often to his old stomping grounds at Miami Northwestern High School. He recently bought dinner for the team, coaches, and support staff after they advanced to their own state championship game (which they won, and for which he promised to deliver something special) and previously cameoed with the school dance team.
He’s a special person, and the Saints are lucky to have him. Hopefully they can work out a long-term contract extension in the offseason, but if not, Bridgewater certainly won’t be leaving with any ill will behind him.
