When Teddy Bridgewater left the NFL in 2024 to coach the kids of Miami Northwestern High School, he brought more than just football knowledge. He brought his wallet. He spent thousands of his own money on meals, Uber rides, and recovery sessions for players from one of Miami’s toughest neighborhoods.
When the rules punished him for it, Florida lawmakers paid attention, and this week they acted.
‘Teddy Bridgewater Act’ Allows Florida Coaches to Fund Player Welfare
On February 19, 2026, the Florida Senatepassed Senate Bill 178 by a unanimous 38-0 vote. Known widely as the “Teddy Bridgewater Act,” the bill was sponsored by Senator Shevrin Jones of Miami Gardens.
It directs the Florida High School Athletic Association to update its rules so that head coaches at K-12 public schools can spend up to $15,000 of their own money per year on student-athlete welfare. Covered expenses include food, transportation, clothing, and recovery services. All spending must be reported to stay within the rules.
Florida Senate Unanimously Passes Bill Named for Teddy Bridgewater After His Suspension for Helping Kids
Florida Senate Unanimously Passes Bill Named for Teddy Bridgewater After His Suspension for Helping Kids (Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images)
The bill was born directly from Bridgewater’s story. After retiring from football in early 2024, he became head coach at his alma mater and led the Bulls to a 12-2 season and their first Class 3A state title since 2019,earning the Florida Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year award.
During that season, he self-reported to the school that he had spent roughly $700 per week on Uber rides, $1,300 per week on recovery services, $2,200 per week on pre-game meals, and $14,000 on a preseason training camp, along with $9,500 on team clothing. The FHSAA ruled those payments as impermissible benefits.
Bridgewater resigned in August 2025 and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers one-year deal as backup to Baker Mayfield. The FHSAA formally confirmed his season-long suspension in September 2025.
That NFL return told its own story. Bridgewater played in four games for Buccaneers in 2025, throwing for 62 yards and two touchdowns in a pure backup role behind Baker Mayfield. At 33 years old, his value to the Buccaneers was experience and leadership in the locker room, not volume on the stat sheet.
The bill now moves to the Florida House of Representatives, where a similar measure is already in progress, before going to Governor Ron DeSantis for final approval.
With his Buccaneers season finished and the Teddy Bridgewater Act moving through Florida’s legislature, many wonder whether the law he inspired could bring him back to the Northwestern sideline in 2026.