High school coaches from coast-to-coast take money out of their own pockets here and there to help their respective programs when needed covering everything from food and snacks to rides to and from practice or making sure a kid in need gets the pair of cleats.
For former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who just led Miami Northwestern (FL) to a state title in his first season as head coach last fall after a long NFL career spanning a decade, those expenses started to pile up and he has since taken to social media to ask for donations to cover things the school isn't taking care of.
After a career where he earned more than $65 million in the NFL with stops with the Vikings, Saints, Panthers, Broncos, Dolphins and Lions, Bridgewater shared that he spent $14,000 of his own money last year just on the team's training camp to open the season, where players were given three hot meals from local restaurants and slept in the school's gym.
While some of his expenses are similar to what other high school programs have and fundraise for, there are some rather unconventional expenses he's seeking assistance with as well.
A few that caught my attention as a fellow high school head coach are $700 per week on Uber fares, as well as $1,300 per week to have recovery trucks come and provide their services to players before games. He shared he also spent $300 per week out of his own pocket to have the fields painted with lines and numbers.
Below is part of the post Bridgewater shared on Facebook.
Good morning to all of my BULLS and BULL SUPPORTERS.
Today I’m coming to you on behalf of the football team and seeking donations to assist our boys this season and to help me carry the load so I no longer have to take from my personal funds to keep smiles on these young men face and remind them that they matter.
From daily uber rides, to feeding the boys MLK ($1500 a week) every morning following our morning training sessions to feeding the boys catered pasta during the season, to pride sets, to training camp - I cover ALL THE EXPENSES.
So today I’m putting together my fundraising packages for individuals looking to donate to the program. You will be able to donate to my foundation personally and funds will be used throughout the season as we get ready to crank up.
- The most recent event we have coming up is our Training Camp where we sleep in the schools basketball gym. Last year it costed me $14,000 to conduct the camp (4 nights) - 3 hot meals a day from local black owned restaurants and a snack on some of those days.
- Last year it cost me $9,500 to purchase pride sets for the players so they can look like a team.
-Also last year it cost me $300 a week to keep the field painted with lines and numbers so our players can know how to line up and execute.
-Last year it also cost me $1300 a week to have recovery trucks come service the players the day before games.
- During the season, each week it costs me $2200 to feed the team pre-game meal.
- Each week I spend around $700 on uber fares.
So hear me out, THIS ISNT A CRY OUT FOR HELP but more so a coach seeking donations. I will post the fundraising packages I put together later today and I will provide my foundations Bank Account information later today. If Teddy Bridgewater doesn’t personally approach on behalf of the football team asking for donations - feel free to do what you want.
The job will get done one way or another, but to those of you considering donating, I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE
PS:
These are all things I choose to do on my own and are not requirements for the boys to have according to the rule makers and those who make the decisions at MNW.
Bridgewater led the program to their first state title since 2019 last fall, and then was signed by the Lions late in their season for their playoff run to provide some veteran depth in the quarterback room.
Some folks will see Bridgewater's plea for help as a bit much, especially as those who take pride in developing talent with less resources, but there's also a segment of the coaching community that will see the investment being made by Bridgewater as the price of having a championship caliber program.
Let us know where you stand in the comments.