The Florida Senate on Thursday unanimously approved what lawmakers are calling the "Teddy Bridgewater Act," a bill designed to let public school coaches cover certain basic needs for student-athletes without risking discipline under high school athletic rules.
The measure would require the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws allowing a coach to use personal funds "in good faith" to support the welfare of a student they coach, including help with food, transportation and recovery services. The bill caps that spending at $15,000 per athletic team, per year.
NEW: The Florida Senate has passed the Teddy Bridgewater Act.
— Rivals High School (@RivalsHS) February 20, 2026
The bill would allow middle and high school coaches to use up to $15k of their own funds to support student-athletes with food, transportation and recovery services.https://t.co/Datx22bzEf pic.twitter.com/QVZp9V4VKU
Florida Senate approves "Teddy Bridgewater Act"
Coaches would have to report the spending to the FHSAA, and the assistance would be presumed not to be an "impermissible benefit" unless it is not reported, deemed not in good faith by the association, or used for recruiting purposes.
The bill is named for former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, whose high school coaching run at Miami Northwestern put this issue in the spotlight. Bridgewater was suspended in July 2025 amid an investigation tied to alleged "impermissible benefits" after he said he paid for expenses such as Uber rides, meals and recovery services for players.
Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern to a Class 3A state title in 2024 in his first season as the school's head coach.
Supporters of the legislation have framed it as a common-sense fix for situations where coaches try to help players get to practice, eat, or recover, but run into rules meant to prevent recruiting inducements. Sen. Shevrin Jones, a Democrat from Miami Gardens who sponsored SB 178, said earlier in the process the goal was to protect coaches who are "stepping up to support student athletes," while avoiding "loopholes for recruiting."
The vote Thursday advanced the bill to the Florida House, where a similar proposal is already moving.
Why Miami Hurricanes fans should love this
Florida is Miami's biggest recruiting pipeline every single year, and anything that helps high school programs keep players fed, transported and healthy can raise the development across the state. It also could reduce the off-field noise around powerhouse programs in South Florida, which is usually good news for a college staff trying to evaluate and recruit the area.