Teddy Bridgewater had his ups and downs on the field in his first season with the Carolina Panthers, but as has been the standard during his six-year career so far, he exemplified character and gamesmanship throughout.
Thusly, Bridgewater received the 2020 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award during NFL Honors on Saturday.
Bridgewater emerged from a list of nominees that also included Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, Colts defensive end Justin Houston and Patriots receiver Matthew Slater from the AFC, along with Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David, Eagles center Jason Kelce and 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the NFC.
The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, awarded since 2014, is given to the player "who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition," per the league.
A 2014 NFL Draft first-round selection by the Minnesota Vikings, Bridgewater was the team's starter for two seasons until he suffered a knee injury that led to him missing all of the 2016 season and playing just one game in 2017. But Bridgewater has persevered, biding his time as a second-stringer and shining when his number was called in New Orleans in 2018-19 and then once again become a franchise's No. 1 QB this season in Carolina.
