Like every other quarterback in the league, Teddy Bridgewater is forced to work out on his own because of the coronavirus pandemic.
That’s sometimes left him feeling — and being — far from home.
The new Panthers quarterback told Peter King of NBC’s Football Morning in America that part of his workout plan has involved riding his bike. One recent day, he pedaled from his Miami home to West Palm Beach, a 75-mile ride. He caught a train home and started planning a longer adventure.
“Just under five hours on the ride up there,” Bridgewater said. “I’m planning a 100-mile ride next.”
The long haul is a pretty good metaphor for what’s ahead of him in Carolina. He still hasn’t met his quarterbacks coach or any of his receivers, as he’s limited to throwing with an odd lot of pro and college wideouts (including Buffalo’s John Brown) as he tries to stay sharp.
But Bridgewater’s grateful for the chance in Carolina, where they actively sought him out to replace Cam Newton.
“It’s a blessing to be back in this position that I’m in,” Bridgewater said. “Having someone believe in you, having an organization that believes in you and gives you the keys and says, ‘Here, this is your opportunity,’ that’s all that I’ve asked for. I know that it’s a difficult time right now and I’m not able to be around the guys, but with technology, we can FaceTime each other. We can call each other. We can meet. Guys have questions, it’s easy to get access to each other.”
Looking for the positive in negative situations will be a central part of new coach Matt Rhule’s plan, as they try to build a team from the ground up without actually working together until training camp.