Alexander Shun | @alexpshun
Digital Content Manager | KFAN.com
When the Minnesota Vikings completed their 2016 season, one of the offseason storylines was going to be the rehabilitation of Teddy Bridgewater.
For those that may not recall, Bridgewater suffered a torn ACL and dislocated knee in practice just a few weeks before the start of the regular season, forcing the Vikings to trade for Sam Bradford.
Bradford had a solid season with Minnesota and, according to Head Coach Mike Zimmer, will enter next season with the opportunity to be the starter. But what about Teddy?
"There is no timeline on Teddy's return," General Manager Rick Spielman said Thursday in a meeting with members of the media. "Teddy is attacking his rehab right now."
When asked if that rehab included any semblance of football-related activities Spielman said that Bridgewater is, "...doing specific things in rehab to get him back to being functional."
Once again, there is no timeline as to when Bridgewater could resume football activities of any sort and Spielman said that to try and create a timeline is simply unfair to Bridgewater.
"It is totally unfair to say that there is a timeline on Teddy Bridgewater because it's unknown," Spielman said. "No one knows where he's going to be. I know where he's at today, but no one knows where he's going to be three months from now...that's the unknown.
"You just have to react and [see] how he's reacting to his rehab," Spielman added. "He's pushing it as hard as he can and when it happens it happens."
Spielman said that he had no doubt in his mind that Bridgewater was going to work as hard as he could to get back on the field with his team as quickly as possible, but did note that it was a very severe injury and not one that Teddy or the team would take lightly.
Reports surfaced earlier that, because of the severity of his injury, Bridgewater would miss the 2017 season. The reports also hinted that Bridgewater's career might be over due to the injury.
Spielman addressed such reports and the notion that Bridgewater may never play again.
"Well everybody's hoping but I can't...I'm not a soothsayer," Spielman said, a soothsayer, for those that do not know, being someone who can forsee the future.
With no timeline for his return and admitted uncertainty as to Bridgewater's future, the Vikings will continue to play it safe with their young quarterback with all hopes being that he can return to the team just as soon as he's physically able.