Getty Mitchell Trubisky will be the Steelers starting QB in 2022 barring any dramatic changes.
Mitch Trubisky is going to get his first chance to be a starting quarterback since his time with the Chicago Bears, and he’s ready for the opportunity.
Trubisky signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and now, he has a shot at becoming Ben Roethlisberger’s successor. It’s a two-year, $14.25 million deal that could be worth up to $27 million with incentives, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
“This is definitely where I wanted to be,” Trubisky said about Pittsburgh in his introductory press conference on March 17. “I’m very appreciative of this opportunity.”
The 27-year-old QB also understands what this opportunity means. “I’m in a situation where I have to prove myself back on the field, and that’s what I’m looking forward to doing,” he said, adding: “You’re always betting on yourself in that sense, and I definitely am in this case.”
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Trubisky’s Praise for Bills Put a Glaring Spotlight on His Time With Matt Nagy
When Matt Nagy was hired by the Bears in 2018, one of his primary tasks was to develop Trubisky, who the team had selected second overall the year prior. Instead, tensions developed, and Trubisky was shipped off to Buffalo to back up Josh Allen in 2021. After Nagy was fired in January of 2022, a scathing report by The Athletic revealed Nagy had belittled Trubisky in front of the team for being “uncoachable.”
When Trubisky was asked about his experiences in both Buffalo and Chicago, his responses were like night and day.
“It helped me so much. It was a blessing in disguise.” Trubisky said about his year as a backup for the Bills. “I needed it even more than I knew at the time. Very appreciative of all the people there. … I learned a lot. The first thing I learned when I got to Buffalo is what a great culture feels like. And I could feel that already here in my short time in Pittsburgh. … Culture wins, and I could tell that in Buffalo, and I could tell it’s a great thing here. I’m excited to contribute to that.”
When asked about his time in Chicago, Trubisky didn’t have much to say.
“My time in Chicago was just a learning experience,” he said, adding that while he’s grateful to his former teammates and coaches, he’s ready to “turn the page.”
When asked what specifically he learned it is one season with the Bills, Trubisky’s response was again swift and glowing, but it was also damning indictment of Nagy:
“The biggest thing is communication between QB and play-caller, just the trust,” he said. “When you have great trust and communication between QB and play-caller, then you’re able to go out there and play free. and just really use all your abilities.”
Mitch Trubisky, asked to name the biggest thing he learned in Buffalo: “The biggest thing was communication between quarterback and play-caller.”
Considering Trubisky spent three years with Nagy calling the plays the bulk of the time while, his comments about playcalling in Buffalo say quite a lot.
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Trubisky Is Reunited With Ex-Bears OL James Daniels
Trubisky will be reunited with his former Bears offensive lineman James Daniels, who agreed to a three-year, $26.5 million deal with the Steelers at the start of free agency.
“I think Mitch is a good leader,” Daniels said at his introductory Steelers presser. “He gets very vocal and is very passionate about winning. In Chicago, he was inviting the offense over to his house on Mondays or Tuesdays. It was about fellowship. When you’re close with your teammates and know them as people, Mitch does a really good job of that.”
Trubisky has thrown for 10,652 yards, 64 TDs and 38 interceptions in his 57 career NFL games while also rushing for 1,081 yards and nine scores. Now, he’s ready to see what he can do with his second chance.
“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better,” Trubisky added. “So that’s what I’m hoping to do.”
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