Denver Broncos veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater may be new to the team, but he has been around the league long enough to know that you have to battle it our for the starting quarterback job.
Bridgewater, 28, will be duking it out with 2020 starter Drew Lock, who only has 18 starts under his belt, for the starting quarterback gig for the 2021 season, and opportunity that Bridgewater is not going to take for granted.
“Every day I wake up, I consider myself competing for my job,” Bridgewater said, according to the team’s official website. “I think that’s the mindset of everyone who plays this game. Whether I was penciled in as being the starter or if I had to compete, my mindset is this is a competition. … In this league, so much happens.
“Of course, that’s my mindset [to start], but at the same time, I have to take it one day at a time and continue to be the best teammate I can be today and let tomorrow take care of itself.”
Bridgewater spent his one and only season with the Carolina Panthers last season, throwing 16 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. The Panthers traded Bridgewater during the offseason, and traded for New York Jets signal caller Sam Darnold to take over as their starter.
Bridgewater already has familiarity with the offense in Denver, as he worked with Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur when they were both with the Minnesota Vikings.
“It’s helped a lot,” Bridgewater said. “There is some carryover from my days in Minnesota, but at the same time, a lot has changed. I’ve been in a couple of different systems. I see players that I’m familiar with and it’s been a smooth transition with the install.”