Teddy Bridgewater was named as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos by head coach Vic Fangio on Wednesday after a training camp battle with incumbent starter Drew Lock.
Bridgewater, who signed with the team this offseason after starting for the Carolina Panthers last season, was excited to find out that he’d been given the starting nod heading into the team’s Week One outing with the New York Giants.
“It was very exciting,” Bridgewater said, via Aric DiLalla of the team’s website. “I’m just happy that I get an opportunity. I’m happy that I get to continue to lead and be the same guy that I am today, and the same guy that I was yesterday. It’s an opportunity for us to continue to grow as a team, and I’m looking forward to that.”
Bridgewarter started 15 games for the Panthers last season, passing for 3,733 yards and 15 touchdowns with 11 interceptions in his lone season with the team. It was Bridgewater’s most extended run as a starting quarterback since a traumatic knee injury during training camp with the Minnesota Vikings in 2016 nearly cost him his leg and his career.
The chance to start for the Broncos may be the best situation he’s found himself in as a starting quarterback during his career. Denver’s defense appears destined to be among the league’s best this season. Additionally, the collection of receivers Bridgewater will have to throw to in Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler give him plenty of big-play potential as well.
“I’m hungry, as well,” Bridgewater said. “This entire team is hungry. We know the talent that we have here, and we know what’s in store for us. But we can’t sit here and talk about it. We’ve got to continue to put the work in every day, and eventually our hard work will pay off. We’ve got to take it one day at a time. We understand that it’s going to be a process, and throughout the course of a season, things happen. Right now in training camp, you see that we have things that come up. It tests you. Throughout the course of the season, things will come up that will test you as well and test your foundation. Hopefully we’re putting together a solid foundation right now in training camp so that when the season comes around, we can just get rolling.”
