High school football can be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of a young man’s life, regardless of whether he is a star and goes on to fame and fortune in the sport or is the last player on the depth chart working to contribute to his team’s success in any way possible.

The values of teamwork, discipline, resilience, leadership and personal sacrifice for the greater good of the team are hallmarks of the institution of high school football, where lifelong friendships are forged and lasting memories are made. At their best, high school football coaches are a positive force at the core of this experience, teaching these lessons and shaping young men in their image.

Many high school football coaches today, however, are falling well short of this standard says Teddy Bridgewater, a recently retired NFL quarterback turned high school football coach. Bridgewater shared his views in an explosive Facebook post, Friday afternoon.

“This high school crap has become the new lil league,” wrote Bridgewater who starred at Miami Northwestern, before going on to great success at the University Louisville and a 10 year NFL career. “I left the league and became a victim to this mess down here and I catch all the strays because I’m Coach.”

Without citing specifics, Bridgewater called out coaches he believes are more interested in bringing glory to themselves than preparing their players for success in life.

“I didn’t walk away from millions to be associated with this high school drama,” said Bridgewater. “I did it to better the future of the sport in south Florida… I’ve been to the highest level and this level is peanuts to an elephant when you’ve reached the top. So you don’t get caught up in the small stuff when you’ve seen the top. However, this is the highest level for many so that’s why you have the telling and ‘whatever it takes to win’ mentality going on.”

With word “telling” and the following comment, Bridgewater appeared to also focus his rant not only on coaches who may be doing things outside the rules to try and gain an advantage, but on those who might report such indiscretions.

“But that’s the problem, not many people have won at the life God has given them so they live through the kids and make it about them and not their kids. Now we have grown men telling on KIDS!! Jeopardizing their future and their team’s future. As a man, what do you get out of that??”

He concluded by expressing concern over his own name, and the Miami Northwestern program, being tied to “some mess,” again giving no specifics.

“I pray MNW stays in the clear from all that’s going on because like I tell my coaches, I played 10 years in the league and never made any headlines and I’ll be damned if I let MNW have me caught up in some mess. I know it’s people waiting on the day it happens.”

Below is the post in its entirety.