Getty QB Mitchell Trubisky
When the Chicago Bears sent two first-round draft picks to the Raiders for Khalil Mack just prior to the start of the 2018 season, they pretty much told the rest of the world they were all in on Mitchell Trubisky. A 2018 campaign in which the team went 12-4 and made the playoffs seemed like the beginning of something great with a young Trubisky leading the way.
A disappointing 2019 season saw the Bears miss the playoffs while watching their longest and most hated rivals win the NFC North — again — but arguably the most concerning aspect of the 2019 season was the lack of development and growth shown by Trubisky. The former second overall pick’s inability to read defenses coupled with his inconsistency and overall lack of experience led Matt Nagy and company to trade for Nick Foles this offseason.
Which is how we got here. The Bears bet the farm on Trubisky and lost. And while no one in Chicago or beyond would ever doubt Trubisky the person, Trubisky the starting quarterback just didn’t get it done. Just three weeks into the 2020 season, he has been replaced by Foles, and it has left many wondering exactly where that leaves his legacy in Chicago.
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Bears Legend on Trubisky’s Benching: The Rest of the Team is Thrilled
On the Hamp, O’B and Koz podcast, three former Bears, Dan Hampton, Ed O’Bradovich and Glen Kozlowski, discussed Chicago’s Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons, as well as Matt Nagy’s decision to go with Foles after Trubisky threw a back-breaking interception in the third quarter.
All three former Monsters of the Midway agreed that Foles’ presence was refreshing, and all three agreed Trubisky’s time with the team was done, barring an injury to Foles. Hampton, a member of the famed ’85 Bears defense, looked at Trubisky’s benching from a player’s perspective.
“Trust me. The other 52 guys on this team realized this is a momentous change,” Hampton said. “You better believe those guys in the locker room driving home last night, they’re shaking their heads saying: ‘Wow. This is big. This is a good thing.”
When a fan called into the show and asked them where they felt Trubisky ranked when it came to Bears quarterbacks, and Hampton did not mince words.
Hampton on Trubisky: He Has Wasted the Prime of This Defense
Hampton in particular said he was relieved the Trubisky era was over, and he shared his thoughts on what the young quarterback’s time in Chicago has meant.
“It’s pretty simple,” Hampton began. “We have a Super Bowl quality defense. The core of our defense is good enough to go to and win a Super Bowl, but they can’t do it all themselves. And Trubisky has essentially hindered them most of the last two years.” Hampton then gave a brutal assessment of Trubisky’s tenure in Chicago.
“Where does he rank? No. 1, he’s a squanderer. We’ve had a lot of good opportunity that has been squandered by him holding us back … You can’t hold a team hostage waiting (to win). This defense is getting older by the minute.”
O’Bradovich, who played alongside the likes of Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus, agreed.
“He came into the NFL with two problems,” O’Bradovich said about Trubisky. “One, he’s not an accurate passer, and No. 2, he can’t read defenses … he played backup for two years at North Carolina to a quarterback who, when he graduated, never even got drafted in the NFL.”
While Trubisky’s teammates always stood by him, you can bet they’ll stand by Foles with equal fervor. Much of Mitch’s legacy has already been written in Chicago — but much of it will also depend on what Foles does with his opportunity, as well.
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