It's been a year and a day since Teddy Bridgewater was last practicing at Winter Park to prepare for the 2016 season as the Vikings starting quarterback.
On Aug. 30, 2016, Bridgewater suffered a devastating injury on a non-contact play in practice and suffered a dislocated knee and a torn ACL.
Bridgewater has been rehabbing since but hasn't been cleared to practice. The 23-year-old was on the sidelines Thursday night when Minnesota closed its 2017 preseason slate against Miami. Bridgewater had fun with KFAN sideline reporter Greg Coleman when the former Vikings punter was interviewing Terence Newman.
Bridgewater then spoke Coleman in an impromptu interview.
"Man, it's a grind you know, and I love it," Bridgewater said. "You embrace it. Everyday is a new challenge, and I'm motivated by these guys.
"I come to work, and I have my days where I feed off of those guys' energy," Bridgewater added. "Those guys have been great throughout this entire process."
Bridgewater was asked his process in attacking his rehab work.
"Everyday I come in and start with the training staff and go throughout meetings, do some therapy," Bridgewater said. "I go out on the field, do some more work, finish up with some therapy and maybe get a workout in or something. Then I go home, come back tomorrow and do it all again."
Bridgewater gave an inspirational update during training camp and has shown strong faith throughout the process.
"God is good you know? I never lost faith. Like I said, these guys have been great in just continuing to reassure that everything is going to be alright," Bridgewater said. "At the end of the day, I'm able to stand on the sideline with these guys and root these guys on.
"The guys ask me 'Man, how do you have so much energy tonight?' and I'm like 'Hey, I feel like I'm out there playing.'"
One thing that can't be questioned, is how Bridgewater feels about the game of football.
"This game just means so much to me that whatever I can do to make an impact, whether it's on the field or on the sidelines, that's my purpose."
Teddy described himself as an "old soul" and has used that to his advantage to get through this hurdle along with the faith that was passed down to him from his elders.
"My family, my grandma, my mom they all passed it down to me," Bridgewater said. "I feel like it's a great trait to have. I feel like I'm an old soul, and it's been very helpful for me at this point in my career, and it's going to continue to take me even further."
