The Facts: Bridgewater attempted two passes in 2017, completing zero, and appeared in just one game. Yet the Minnesota Vikings quarterback said this season was the favorite of his football career. "It was probably my favorite season by far, even though I didn't play much," Bridgewater told ESPN. "I had to be there for the guys mentally. It gave me a different role and I accepted it. It was one that was hard to accept because I'm a competitor, but I wouldn't trade this year for nothing."

Diehards Line: Bridgewater hasn't started a game since the 2015 playoffs after suffering a devastating knee injury before the 2016 regular season. This year, he briefly appeared in a blowout victory in Week 15, attempting two passes and running out the clock. As NFL.com's Kevin Patra notes, Bridgewater, 25, could be one of the more interesting players headed towards free agency -- if an independent arbitrator doesn't rule that Bridgewater's rookie contract should toll into 2018 because of time spent on the physically unable to perform list last year. The Vikings viewed Bridgewater as their future at quarterback before the injury. Now it's uncertain whether he'll ever be given a chance to earn a No. 1 gig. Bridgewater still sees himself as an NFL starter. The question is whether the Vikings or another team will agree.