Pressers and scrums: Bridgewater returns, team still high on Hooker, and Lions looking forward, not back with 49ers
Allen Park — Here’s the greatest hits from Thursday’s media access at the team’s facility.
Veteran QB back in the fold
The Lions made a surprising transaction Thursday morning, adding a familiar face to the roster in veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
Bridgewater hasn’t been on an NFL roster since ending last season with the Lions. He returned to Florida where he coached his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High, to the state championship in his first season.
Shortly after winning the title, he publicly announced his intention to return to the NFL.
“I’ve been in contact with Teddy for a while, and it was something that was always potentially a possibility,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We all know what Teddy’s been doing down there in giving back to his community. They won a championship down there, so his debut in coaching worked out pretty dang good. But just to be able to add somebody back here that’s got experience, he’s staying in shape, he’s been throwing, just get him worked back in here a little bit, it just brings a level of professionalism, veteran presence, somebody that’s great for our team. He’s great for the position.”
Quarterback coach Mark Brunell echoed Campbell about the value Bridgewater brings to the roster.
“He's great,” Brunell said. “He helped us tremendously last year. Great teammate, professional, experienced, you name it. A great resource for Jared (Goff).”
Another factor in Detroit’s decision is the value of having an emergency quarterback on the roster for the playoffs. An NFL rule adjustment in 2023 allows teams to dress a third, inactive QB on game days who can be put into the game if the starter and backup are injured.
Bridgewater spent 10 seasons in the NFL on six rosters, starting 65 games. He wasn't called upon to throw a pass for the Lions last season, but for his career, he's completed 66.4% of his throws for 15,120 yards, 75 touchdowns and 47 interceptions.
Bridgewater will wear No. 12, previously held by safety Brandon Joseph, who was released last weekend.
"It's cool,” Goff said. “I'm glad to have him back. 'State champ' Teddy Bridgewater is what we call him now. He's a valuable asset to our team. I love having him in the quarterback room and he's great to have around.”
What the addition means for Hooker
The Lions were quick to point out that the addition of Bridgewater is not a condemnation of the development or status of Hendon Hooker, the second-year QB out of Tennessee who has served as the backup all season after winning the job in training camp.
"Look, he’s improved,” Campbell said. “He really has. We feel like every week he’s gotten a little bit better. And this does not mean that Hooker his out. That’s not what this means. If it comes to that, Hooker’s going to play for us, but Teddy probably will too.
“I understand what it looks like, but it’s just a different world that we’re getting ready to walk into, and we felt like this was the right thing to do, especially with somebody that I have a tremendous amount of trust with and for,” Campbell said. “(Bridgewater) understands our offense well, the guys know him well, the coaches know him well, and he brings a certain level of comfort to us.”
Those comments point to Bridgewater serving as the Goff's primary backup once the team enters the postseason.
Hooker has appeared in three games for the Lions this season, taking over in the late stages of three blowout wins. He’s completed 6-of-9 for 62 yards, with zero touchdowns or interceptions.
“Each week, he gets better,” Brunell said. “His mechanics, his fundamentals, understanding the defenses that he's presented with, his presentation, his worth ethic — I can't say enough about him. He's been great and he truly is getting better. He's going to be a really good quarterback in this league and I'm excited for him.”
Brunell was asked if he’d be comfortable with Hooker seeing snaps in the playoffs.
“Absolutely, yes, I would,” he said.
Gibbs the bell cow
In the team’s first game without David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs shouldered the load, logging the second most carries and touches of his two-year career and his second-highest yards from scrimmage total this season.
“We've seen it before,” position coach Scottie Montgomery said. “We know what we have in both of those guys, but it's really never been about just him, it's been about the room. Now that he has to do what he has to do, this is something we expect from him.
“We thought he created,” Montgomery continued. “He was very creative on the first level. We also liked him in the passing game, once again. And we're finding out he can do those things more and more; the interior run game, the exterior run game. It's just a chance for him to showcase, in David's absence, what he can do.”
Gibbs had 20 touches in the first half against Chicago before the Lions dialed things back in the first half. Scottie Montgomery said the heavy workload was part of the game plan, with the team wanting to get off to a fast start.
The coach expressed no concerns about Gibbs holding up long term, saying the player landed in between 40-50 snaps, which was the stated target coming into the week.
"Yeah, this is what he was built for," Scottie Montgomery said. "This is what he wants to do. We're really proud of him."
Eyes forward
It’s easy to look at Monday’s matchup with San Francisco through a lens of redemption, tied to last year’s heartbreaking loss in the NFC Championship. Regardless, the Lions are trying not to lean into that narrative.
“It's difficult at times, you know that, but it's been the windshield mentality vs. the rearview mirror,” Scottie Montgomery said. “We're really trying to focus on what we have going forward. This is a different and they're a different team. That's where we are right now. We're really focused on this year, 2024, and trying to play as well as we possibly can against the team.”
Campbell said getting beyond vengeance is a sign of the franchise’s maturity.
“I’ve mentioned every year, you kind of learn something about winning and losing, and when you take an L like we did last year, you learn from that,” Campbell said. “There were a number of things we did wrong and a number of things they did right, and I think you understand how the game can go and where it can swing and just about keeping your composure and making the most of any rep that comes because the one that happened in the second quarter could change the game.
“…I think that experience, as difficult as it was, served us well moving forward into this year,” Campbell said. “And it’s like anything else, you just don’t like to lose. So you’ve got an opportunity with a team that got the best of you, and so you just want to go out and find a way to get a win.”
As Montgomery notes, these are different teams, and in 2024, they’re heading in different directions. The Lions currently hold pole position in the NFC with a potential opportunity to clinch the No. 1 seed as early as Monday. The 49ers, meanwhile, have been eliminated from postseason contention. Still, the Lions are wary of an opponent that ranks top-10 in yardage on offense and No. 2 in yards allowed on defense, highlighting their sustained competitiveness.
“They’ve got plenty,” Campbell said after rattling off many of the opponent’s top players, “and with the scheme they run, the coaching, I mean, this is not going to be an easy task whatsoever. Our guys understand that. We’re going to have to play our best ball to go out there and get a win.”
Sweaters and snakes
A year ago, Campbell’s wife Holly had no public social media presence. This year, she’s posting fun stuff about the family’s life on Instagram almost daily. That means questions about those posts sometimes make it to the coach.
On Thursday, he was asked who was behind the Christmas sweater the family wore in a group photo. The red top with a large ornament wasn’t subtle, stating, “I have big beautiful balls.”
“That would be my wife, every year she’s got an idea,” Campbell said. “We always wear Christmas shirts that are a little unique, so that was definitely her.”
Montgomery also offered up a Christmas anecdote to open his media session.
“I went to bed for the first time knowing there was a snake in my house,” Montgomery said. “We have a new member of my family. My kids talked my wife into getting a ball python. His name is MK. He is the Minion King. I don't know what that means.”
Montgomery’s kids talked their parents into the purchase after a visit to The Reptarium in Utica.
“I can't say that I'm overly excited, but I'll get better and I'll adjust,” Montgomery said. “That's what coaches do. …It has a lock on (its enclosure), but, yeah, I might just put a lock on the kid's door, too.”
Finally, Jared Goff revealed what he got his offensive linemen.
“It's hard when you've got guys giving out Toyota trucks,” Goff said referencing the gift given out by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. “You've got to keep up with that. (I) got them a nice Yeti package with Waygu steaks and beef. I hope they like it.”
Clock started
As always, you can get all your daily injury updates at this permanent link. You'll want to bookmark that one.
Of note, wide receiver and return man Kalif Raymond returned to practice, opening his three-week acclimation clock. The early expectation is he won’t be activated off injured reserve ahead of Monday’s game against the 49ers.
Blazing questions
Jameson Williams isn’t among the top-20 fastest ball carriers tracked by the NFL this season, but the speedy Lions receiver still believes he could have recorded the fastest 40-yard dash in scouting combine history had he been healthy enough to run, telling teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown he might have clocked a 4.1, besting the 4.21 posted by wide receiver Xavier Worthy last season.
Asked about Williams’ proclamation, teammates were understandably skeptical.
“I do love Jamo, but I don't think he's touching 4.1,” St. Brown said. “That's crazy.”
Goff was a little more tongue-in-cheek with his response.
“I guess,” Goff said. “If he says so. We'll have to go measure it sometime. He's hard to track down if we want to measure his 40, but if he says 4.1, we have to hold him accountable.”
I find it really silly to be concerned with Gibbs' workload when the whole season they've been splitting reps to keep them fresh. Fresh for what, if not this?
They downplayed last year going into the Dallas game too. There'll be a trick play this week. Although I do think they knew they were going to have their way with Dallas, but I think they are at least weary or respect the 49ers way more than they did Dallas.