Life in the NFL can be as unpredictable as any. Former New York Jets quarterback Teddy Bridgewater found that out when he was traded to the New Orleans Saints.
Unless it is on one's own terms, there is hardly ever a good time to be traded. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, that was certainly the case for Bridgewater after he nearly departed on the team bus when the news broke:
Crazy scene: Jets players were on the bus when they stopped, told Teddy Bridgewater he’d been traded, he waved goodbye, then they drove off, source said. Bridgewater headed to the Saints. Wild.
Pelissero added that Bridgewater was not forced to hitchhike back to civilization:
Article Continues BelowTo be clear, they were waiting to depart. Didn’t leave Teddy on the side of the road or something. Still …. what a scene.
Needless to say, this was not the most ideal situation to find out about a trade. The Jets have been getting ready to square off against the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason finale on Thursday. Fortunately, it did give members of the team a chance to say their goodbyes.
There were rumors about Bridgewater's uncertain future in New York for quite some time. The jury was still out on whether or not he could still play following his stint with the Minnesota Vikings. The Jets took a chance and it certainly paid off. His stellar performance in the preseason has now helped them get some return on their investment.
Meanwhile, Bridgewater will now get to serve as a backup to future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees rather than rookie quarterback Sam Darnold. He may not get much playing time if Brees can stay healthy, however, the Saints could be using that time to make Bridgewater his potential successor.