Following Teddy Bridgewater's injury, the Minnesota Vikings expected to see the quarterback return to the field after a couple of weeks into the 2016 NFL season. However, medical experts doubt if he'll still be able to play at all based on his condition.
Bridgewater suffered a dislocated knee joint and a torn ACL in August during the preseason. Since his injury, backup quarterback Sam Bradford has been taking on the passing duties for the Vikings.
Even before the regular season began, Bridgewater has been placed on the team's injured reserve list and has been in rehab with the hopes of returning soon.
According to Adam Schefter, the quarterback has been doing well in rehab and is actually making progress in terms of his physical condition.
However, the NFL insider noted that if Bridgewater does manage to get back, he might not be the same quarterback as he was before the injury.
"Teddy Bridgewater continues to rehab in Minnesota and he is making progress" Schefter said according to CBS Sports. "Nearly two months after he dislocated his knee, Bridgewater is making strides and Vikings officials are pleased with where he's at."
"But other doctors around the league know there are no guarantees Bridgewater will be able to return to the type of quarterback he was, if he makes it back to the NFL at all," he added.
One particular doctor who has a history of working with NFL teams said Bridgewater's comeback could be a longshot. According to him, the athlete's injury is regarding as the worst type than a football player can have.
"If he didn't make it back, it wouldn't surprise me," the doctor said. "This is a bad injury, about the worst knee injury a player can have."
If Bridgewater's condition doesn't improve, he could be facing a year-long absence from the NFL. Even worse, this could mark the end of his career in the league since the injury could force him into an early retirement.
As for the rest of the Vikings, the team seems to be doing pretty well with Bradford at the helm instead of Bridgewater. Since the season started, the Vikings have been enjoying a winning streak, until they suffered their first loss at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles at Week 7.
