During the 2014 NFL Season, rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was thrust into a starting role after an injury to Matt Cassel’s foot placed him on injured reserve. By that point in the season, the Minnesota Vikings were already without their starting running back Adrian Peterson, who was in the middle of an intense legal issues that polarized the team’s fan base.
Despite being without the player that could be considered the best running back in the National Football League, Bridgewater was able to impress both fans and experts while still experiencing the kind of rookie mistakes that are bound to happen.