Teddy Bridgewater on first — and maybe only — season with Broncos: “Breath of fresh air”

When backmost Teddy Bridgewater’s play ended successful the Week 15 nonaccomplishment to Cincinnati owed to a concussion that required him to beryllium taken disconnected the tract via stretcher, helium had 1 regret: The Broncos’ grounds wasn’t amended than 7-6.

“It’s a small hard knowing you didn’t enactment the squad successful a presumption where, if thing similar this did travel up, you could spend not to triumph a crippled oregon 2 — I privation we could person been, say, 10-3,” helium said Thursday during his archetypal media availability since the injury.

Minus Bridgewater, the Broncos faced must-wins and mislaid to Las Vegas and the Los Angeles Chargers to autumn retired of playoff contention.

Asked astir the scary quality of the injury, Bridgewater said helium is “doing well.”

“It’s portion of the game. Things happen, plays happen. I’m blessed I’m capable to grin and inactive capable to locomotion and speech and beryllium my mean self.”

Bridgewater observed Wednesday’s signifier and said helium volition ticker Saturday’s play finale against Kansas City from the sidelines. The concussion against the Bengals was his 2nd of the play and impacted his return-to-play plan.

“We had conversations astir the attack we wanted to instrumentality this clip astir fixed I had a concussion earlier this year,” said Bridgewater, who declined to uncover details astir those discussions.

Bridgewater, a escaped cause successful March, was acquired from the Carolina Panthers past April and started the Broncos’ archetypal 14 games. He went 7-7, but won 7 of the 12 games successful which helium started and finished.

Bridgewater played astatine Pittsburgh 7 days aft being concussed against Baltimore and played astatine Cleveland 4 days aft sustaining a ft wounded against Las Vegas. He had play totals of 18 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, a 94.9 passer standing and a completion percent of 66.9.

“He had immoderate truly bully games for us, helium had a precise affirmative effect connected our team, peculiarly connected the discourtesy but the squad arsenic a full with his enactment capabilities, his assurance and his every-day demeanor,” manager Vic Fangio said. “I deliberation helium truly helped our discourtesy grow. I deliberation Teddy is an NFL starting backmost that has large intangibles and large qualities that you can’t coach.”

On his last play of the year, Bridgewater scrambled for yardage and was deed portion successful mid-air. The broadside of his caput was the archetypal portion of his assemblage to deed the turf and helium appeared to beryllium knocked out.

“It comes with the game,” helium said. “I ever accidental each clip I deed the ground, I inquire God, ‘Why americium I doing this?’ And erstwhile I travel to enactment connected Wednesday and spot guys moving hard, that’s wherefore I bash it — (for) the interactions you person with guys successful the locker country and the smiles you get to enactment connected the fans’ faces and (to) compete.”

Bridgewater said helium “definitely” wants to proceed playing and his aboriginal is uncertain due to the fact that of his free-agent presumption and the imaginable changes coming to the Broncos’ coaching unit and roster.

Despite the injuries and not being capable to decorativeness the season, Bridgewater said “this full play has been a enactment of caller air. I’ve had a fig of reasons to smile. I’m thankful for this opportunity. I convey (general manager) George (Paton) for pulling the trigger and making the trade. I convey Vic for the opportunity, this squad for welcoming maine and accepting maine and the fans — yeah, it wasn’t the benignant of twelvemonth we wanted it to be, but the emotion we received, we truly appreciated it.

“It’s a peculiar place.”