Syracuse Football: 5-star Calvin Russell's head coach suspended by Miami Northwestern

The high school head coach of Syracuse football 2026 five-star verbal commit Calvin Russell lll has been suspended, according to multiple media reports on Monday, including this one from ESPN.

Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, per reports, confirmed in a post via his Facebook account that he has been suspended by Miami Northwestern Senior High School. The ESPN article indicated that he was suspended for "allegedly providing impermissible benefits to his players."

According to ESPN, earlier this month, Bridgewater said in a Facebook post that he "paid for Uber rides, meals and recovery services for his players last season." Per reports, Bridgewater had asked fans to donate to help cover some of these expenses this coming season.

Per a story from national reporter Andy Villamarzo of On3/Rivals, the Florida High School Athletic Association ("FHSAA)" is gathering more information on this matter.

Syracuse football 5-star commit Calvin Russell lll's high school head coach has been suspended.

Bridgewater said on Facebook that he self-reported the payments to Miami Northwestern, where the 6-foot-5, 190-pound Russell is a standout wide receiver and also an excellent basketball player. On July 5, Russell verbally pledged to the Orange over Michigan, Oregon and Florida State - shocking the college football world.

Russell is also expected to play for Syracuse basketball, a source has confirmed to me.

In the 2024 season, Miami Northwestern's football team went 12-2 overall and won the FHSAA 3A state championship. In the final game of these playoffs, Russell caught four passes for 59 yards and two touchdowns. He is a top-25 national prospect in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports.

Last year, the Bulls were ranked No. 7 in talent-rich Florida and No. 46 nationally by MaxPreps. In the spring, Sports Illustrated placed Miami Northwestern at No. 12 overall in its preseason top 25 for the upcoming 2025 campaign.

As a senior, Russell should contend for All-America honors in football. There is chatter that he could enroll early at Syracuse in January of 2026. He has said his recruitment is shut down and that he will sign with the Orange during the early national signing period this December.

Russell is the highest-ranked commit for Syracuse football in more than 20 years. While he has reportedly inked a strong NIL deal with the 'Cuse, he picked the Orange due to his relationship with Syracuse football head coach Fran Brown, the rest of the program's staff, and the Syracuse basketball coaching staff.

The Orange's 2026 class currently hovers around the top 25 nationally.