Teddy Bridgewater has been in a reflective mood lately.

Last week, the Minnesota Vikings quarterback posted a series of photos on Twitter from the 2017 season with the caption “humble servant.” A day earlier, Bridgewater took to Instagram to relay how being a leader among his teammates, peers, loved ones and community is greater than any personal goal he could ever set.

The next few weeks and months hold uncertainty for Bridgewater. He’s set to become a free agent on March 14, but the speculation of whether he’ll return to the Vikings or sign elsewhere this offseason has long since started.

A lot remains up in the air regarding the quarterback’s next step, two full seasons removed from the catastrophic knee injury he sustained at the end of the 2016 preseason.

One of a few things that’s certain is how much this season -- Bridgewater’s comeback year -- meant to the quarterback.

“It was probably my favorite season by far, even though I didn’t play much,” Bridgewater told ESPN. “This season challenged my mindset because as bad as I wanted to be out there playing, being the competitor that I am, I wanted to go to war and go to battle with my guys, I had to be out there in a different aspect. 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.”

Bridgewater spent the first six weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list before he was medically cleared to return to practice in October. He served as Case Keenum's backup starting in Week 10 but didn’t see game action until December, when he took the field in the fourth quarter of a blowout win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

That was the only time Bridgewater played in a game in 2017, but it’s a moment that will forever stay with the quarterback and those closest to him.

“Once I heard the crowd and saw Case down there leading the Skol chant, it was an indescribable moment,” Bridgewater’s girlfriend, Erika Cardona, said. “I screamed and I screamed and I screamed. The loudest I’ve ever screamed at a game.”

During Super Bowl week, Bridgewater and Cardona were in Minneapolis promoting "Little Bear Teddy: Big Dream Come True," a children’s book penned by Cardona.

The idea for the book was sparked before Bridgewater dislocated his left knee. Once he was injured, Cardona said she knew she had to follow through with the project.

Bridgewater served as the inspiration behind the main character, a young bear who refuses to give up on his dreams and remains calm and steady throughout his journey.

“People can really relate to it,” Cardona said. “Everyone has dreams, everyone has goals. In today’s society, it’s not too often that you see people being too supportive of people’s ideas. It’s just a constant reminder that no matter what, you can get it done.”

That’s the mindset Bridgewater embodied during the 2017 season. Despite the ups and downs of working his way back and not receiving much playing time, the Vikings QB feels that the circumstances of the season afforded him useful preparation he might not have ever been in the position to receive otherwise.

“It helped me from a mental standpoint where I was studying,” Bridgewater said. “As the number two, you have to always stay ready, stay locked in. That was different for me because I had never been in that position. But it helped me because I saw the game from a different view. The game has slowed down so much because I could see it from the sidelines.”

Following the Vikings' loss in the NFC championship game, Bridgewater said he “definitely” wants to be a starter next season. Whether that role is there for him in Minnesota or elsewhere will be determined once free agency kicks off in a few weeks.

“I’m just going to continue focusing on becoming a better football player, attacking the offseason with the mindset of getting stronger and doing everything that I can to show that when the time comes, I’m ready to play football,” he said. “The best thing about it is my dream gets to continue to come true -- that I get to play football next year. I’m going to be playing football next year.”