Teddy Bridgewater Wins Pepsi Rookie of the Year
Dec 14, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) makes a pass during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Awhile back, we told you that Teddy Bridgewater was named a finalist for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year. In my write up I predicted that Odell Beckham, Jr. would be voted the winner, mainly because he made that catch that melted the internet.
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Happily, I can now report that I was wrong. Teddy Bridgewater has apparently won the award. No official announcement has been made, but a screenshot that was posted on NFL.com and can be seen here at Vikings Territory lists Bridgewater as the winner.
I feel like he is deserving for many reasons, most notably the unrest around him on the offense all year. Losing Adrian Peterson could have sunk him. Matt Kalil playing the worst football of his career could have sunk him. Cordarrelle Patterson disappearing could have sunk him. Looking back, very few things went right around Bridgewater during his rookie campaign. Charles Johnson emerged but that really only offset the struggles of Patterson. Jerick McKinnon played well in his own rookie year, but an injury wiped out the end of his season.
Because of his nomination for the Pepsi Rookie of the Year, Bridgewater is currently in Arizona for the Super Bowl festivities leading up to the game. While down there he was asked to look ahead instead of looking back at his rookie season. According to Mark Craig, Bridgewater had this to say about the Vikings playing in the Super Bowl someday with him at the helm:
"“I can envision it. That’s the plan. This right here is what you play for. Not 7-9. No one is satisfied with a 7-9 season. The ultimate goal is to be on this stage and be here.”"
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He certainly does not sound like a guy who is satisfied by playing well. Winning awards is cool but winning championships is what really matters. Getting Adrian Peterson back into the fold would certainly help. Adding DeVante Parker or another playmaker on the outside would certainly help. Patterson working through whatever is holding him back and fulfilling his potential would be huge for this team. The defense continuing its improvement would be a boon as well. Nothing though is more important than the continued development of Teddy.
If his first year is any indication, Vikings fans have reason to feel good about those prospects.