Four years ago today, then-Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a devastating, non-contact knee injury that many thought would derail his career permanently.
Now, he’s got a three-year, $66 million contract with the Panthers, and he’ll enter the season as the unquestioned starter.
Bridgewater has reflected on the events of the past four years in a simple but powerful message on social media.
“August 30, 2016,” Bridgewater tweeted. “While riding in back of that ambulance, I didn’t know what my football future had in store for me. In the midst of so much uncertainty and pain, I found peace and my purpose in life. Dear August 30, 2016. . . . Thank you.”
Still only 27 years old, Bridgewater has plenty of football seasons in front of him. Four years ago, it didn’t look that way. At a time when we’re celebrating the potential return to football of Alex Smith, let’s remember that Bridgewater’s story is every bit as compelling -- and that he has plenty of chapters that remain unwritten, with possibilities that are unlimited.