Not long after the Broncos traded for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, rumors emerged that the Broncos would possibly trade for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Those rumors have subsided but not died.
Meeting with reporters on the first day of OTAs, Bridgewater was asked to explain how he handled those rumors.
“Honestly man, I just keep my head down and control what I can control,” Bridgewater said. “I tell everyone that. In this business, you have to wear big-boy [pants], and I wear them. A lot can happen in this business. Each day is an opportunity for me to get better as a person, as a teammate, as a family member, and in any aspect that I can. When everything came out, I really didn’t know until someone brought it to my attention. I’m in my own little world sometimes and far away from football. When the news broke, I don’t even remember what I was doing. Like I said, it’s a business and I understand the nature of this business.”
One thing he understands about the nature of the business is that it’s inherently competitive.
“Every day I wake up, I consider myself competing for my job,” Bridgewater said. “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. . . . You said there’s been ten quarterbacks here [since Peyton Manning]. Whenever you get into a situation, you always want to be the guy who can be there for a while. Of course, that’s my mindset, 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.”
Ten quarterbacks have started for the Broncos since Manning retired after the team won Super Bowl 50: Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Drew Lock, Brandon Allen, Jeff Driskel, Brett Rypien, and Philip Linday, who started during the 2020 game when COVID-19 wiped out all of the team’s quarterbacks.
Bridgewater, if he wins the starting job, will be No. 11. Unless the Packers still end up getting No. 12 from Green Bay.
Teddy Bridgewater ignored rumors regarding other quarterbacks possibly being traded to Denver originally appeared on Pro Football Talk