A high school football team coached by former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is under investigation for allegedly using an ineligible player, per a report from The Palm Beach Post. The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is looking into accusations that Miami Northwestern is using a player whose eligibility expired in the spring.
The allegation was brought to the FHSAA on Monday, and the association has launched its investigation. Craig Damon, the executive director of the FHSAA, confirmed the organization has "reached out" to the school for more information on the student-athlete in question.
The student-athlete's transcript, which was obtained by The Palm Beach Post, indicates his first semester of high school was at a Miami-Dade public school in the fall of 2020. Three days after beginning his freshman year, the student withdrew and eventually took online courses.
According to FHSAA rules, students are only eligible to participate in sports for eight consecutive semesters starting with their first semester of ninth grade. That means the Miami Northwestern student would have used up all his eligibility following the spring 2024 semester.
Bridgewater is in his first season coaching Miami Northwestern, his alma mater, and the team is currently the No. 1 seed in Region 4 of the Class 3A playoffs. Last weekend, the Bulls thumped Barron Collier by a score of 69-0 in the regional quarterfinal and are scheduled to face Lely in the regional semifinal this weekend.
If Miami Northwestern is found to have used an ineligible player, it will have to forfeit all games in which that player participated. For the moment, the playoff game against Lely is still on, and coach Ben Hammer said his team is keeping its focus on playing the Bulls.
"We will control the things we can control and not worry about the things out of our control," Hammer said. "We will be prepared to put our best product on the field Friday."
This is not the first time this season that a Miami-based school has been accused of using an ineligible player. Shortly before the playoffs, Miami Central forfeited eight games and missed the postseason after self-reporting an ineligible player.
