Florida Governor Signs Bill Allowing High School Coaches to Cover Certain Player Expenses

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the Teddy Bridgewater Act into law on Friday. The measure permits high school head coaches to use personal funds for player expenses including food, transportation, physical therapy, and rehabilitation services. The law applies only to head coaches, bars use for recruiting, requires full reporting to a state agency, and caps annual spending at $15,000 per team.

It is named for former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who coached Miami Northwestern High to a state title in 2024 before a suspension for covering similar costs.

DeSantis also signed a second bill Friday that takes effect July 1 and is intended to increase high school coaching stipends statewide. State officials cited studies showing average football coaching stipends of $3,038 in one Florida county and more than $100,000 in neighboring states.

Andrew Ramjit, executive director of the Florida Coaches Coalition, said the legislation validates coaches who have felt undervalued. DeSantis noted that strict reporting rules are included to address potential downsides.