"She always kept a smile on her face": Teddy Bridgewater reflects on his mother's influence on his journey

Teddy Bridgewater grabbed headlines after leading his alma mater, Miami Northwestern Senior High School, to victory last week. However, his path to success is deeply rooted in a personal story of hardship and inspiration.

At just eight years old, Bridgewater promised his mother, Rose Murphy, that he would buy her a pink Cadillac Escalade one day. At the time, he didn’t know the significance of that pledge or the challenges his family would face. Six years later, when Bridgewater was 15, his mother sat him down to reveal that she had breast cancer.

For a teenager already navigating the complexities of growing up in a challenging environment, the news was a heavy burden. Bridgewater’s siblings faced their own struggles, and his mother’s illness became a big blow in his life. Despite undergoing grueling chemotherapy treatments, losing her hair, and enduring physical weakness, Rose never let her faith waiver.

“She always kept a smile on her face, man. That motivated me,” Bridgewater said in the Pivot Podcast. “She’d say, ‘Teddy, I’m gonna be here for you. Keep playing ball. God gave you a gift. Use it to the best of your ability.’”

Rose’s battle with cancer was also a fight to inspire her youngest son to chase his dreams. Her perseverance fueled Bridgewater’s drive by leading him to a stellar college career and a successful run in the NFL. He fulfilled his childhood promise years later by presenting his mother with a pink Cadillac Escalade.

“It’s crazy how life comes full circle,” Bridgewater said. “Pink became a color that resembles breast cancer, and I brought her the car to witness it.”

Teddy Bridgewater opens up about his gruesome injury

Teddy Bridgewater suffered a devastating knee injury during a practice in 2016. He recalled his injury while reflecting on a game against the Los Angeles Chargers in the new stadium, where he made a big third-down run.

"I juked the defender, I think that's when I tore my ACL," Bridgewater told SI.

Bridgewater initially dismissed it as “camp legs,” but he tried to push through. However, before another practice, he felt something was wrong behind his knee.

"It just feels crazy or something," Bridgewater said. "But I was like, You know what? This last day of practice. Just shut it down, get ready for the regular season."

The injury involved a dislocated knee and torn ACL along with other structural damage. The extent of the injury was so serious that it cast doubt on his football future, but he made a stunning return the next year, eventually starting for teams like the Saints, Broncos and Panthers.

Last year, Bridgewater played for the Detroit Lions, but he didn’t throw a pass. He didn’t play this year, but he told the NFL Network last week he plans to return to the NFL.