Theodore Edmond Bridgewater Jr. (born November 10, 1992) is an American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Louisville, and was drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. With the Vikings, Bridgewater threw for 14 touchdowns in each of his first two seasons, including winning the NFC North and making a Pro Bowl appearance in 2015. The following preseason, Bridgewater suffered an injury to his left leg, which knocked him out for all but one offensive series the next two seasons.
After the Vikings declined his fifth-year option, Bridgewater signed with the New York Jets, although he was promptly traded to the New Orleans Saints. With the Saints, Bridgewater served as backup to Drew Brees, including winning all five games as a replacement when Brees was injured in 2019. Bridgewater signed a three-year deal with the Panthers the following offseason.