Mike Zimmer On Teddy Bridgewater Injury: It is Possible This Is Season Ending
Today is a busy day at Winter Park and not in a good way. Upon the news breaking that Teddy Bridgewater suffered what seemed to be a major injury in practice, the Vikings also announced the release of respected veteran John Sullivan and a number of other players. Shortly after, at about 4:00 PM local time, head coach Mike Zimmer held a press conference on the Bridgewater injury situation.
The moment was a significant one as it will either mark the beginning of the end for a highly anticipated 2016 season, or define Zimmer’s ability to overcome adversity and rally his team to a successful outcome and Coach of the Year considerations. All of that depends, of course, on how this team weathers the storm.
“Today Teddy suffered a significant knee injury, we don’t know the extent of it yet,” Zimmer said upon getting in front of the media.
“Eric Sugarman will release all of the details of what he had done or what the injury was,” Zimmer elaborated.
“It was a non-contact thing, from what it looked like to me,” he confirmed. “It was a freaky deal.”
When asked if the injury was potentially season-ending, Zimmer simply told the press it is possible, and confirmed that it is not looking good.
“We’re not looking for excuses,” Zimmer said of the season ahead. “We’re going to go out and fight like we always do.”
[pull_quote_center]Everyone can count us out if they want, but I think that would be the wrong thing to do.[/pull_quote_center]
The situation has Vikings fans and analysts scrambling to suggest solutions, which has included names like Michael Vick, in what is an all-too-familiar thing to do when your franchise is absent of a franchise quarterback.
Zimmer expressed confidence in backup quarterback Shaun Hill, but there is little doubt that Rick Spielman would like to have a better option on the depth chart than that, and may indeed have to look outside the organization for a solution. The task will not be easy considering September is just two days away.
Here is hoping, however, that the absence is temporary in nature and that Bridgewater comes out of this whole ordeal with the abilities to lead this football team to greatness that many of us already thought he had.