Teddy Bridgewater wants players to be roll models not act gangsta

Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is over the antics of some NFL players who want to appear to be “gangsta”.

Bridgewater took to one of his social media accounts to ask that his fellow NFL players try to be more of a role model for kids rather than trying to send the message that they are “gangsta”. He says while there are some “gangsta’s” in the NFL, most are simply football tough.

Instagram has given Bridgewater a platform to speak out about how players should try to have themselves defined. Consistently, Bridgewater speaks to youth both in communities that are rife with gangs and those that are not. For him, it’s about giving kids the opportunity to see a path towards doing what’s right and helping themselves.

This is a great message to be sent and is yet another reason why the quarterback was well-respected coming out of college.

The message has been received well by many NFL players who have liked the comments. Hopefully, this will help spread this message to kids of all ages and cultures. Like it or not, NFL players are revered and looked up to, and having a positive message can go a long way. So will the acts that follow a player as well.

For Bridgewater, it’s not just words. As he said, it’s all about “love”. And indeed it should be. Whether or not his message will resonate across the NFL is another story but hopefully, the younger kids coming into the league will hold this close and they will carry it on. Now more than ever, our children need positive role models that can show the future can be whatever they want it to.