Getty QB Mitchell Trubisky of the Chicago Bears
Despite having the support of a solid chunk of the fan base, all signs point to quarterback Mitch Trubisky not returning to the Chicago Bears in 2021. The Bears have lost six straight, and a major housecleaning is likely headed Chicago’s way. A combination of questionable coaching and his own limitations have made Trubisky’s days in Chicago numbered — and now, fans and analysts alike are speculating as to where he may wind up next season.
After noting Mitch may be a good fit in places like Indianapolis and San Francisco due to questionable quarterback situations, Fansided’s Braden Fogal made a compelling case for a revitalization of Trubisky’s career — in Pittsburgh as the successor to Ben Roethlisberger.
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Steelers Are in Need of Capable Backup & Successor to Roethlisberger
Roethlisberger will be 39 in March, and while he’s having an excellent season statistically, his laundry list of injuries is bound to catch up with him sooner or later. Thus, Fansided’s argument for Trubisky to the Steelers in 2021 is certainly an intriguing one:
“Quite possibly the best landing spot for Trubisky is to play under Mike Tomlin by representing the black and yellow. The Steelers are an 11-1 team winning games with their defense and leaning on a 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger behind center. Tomlin has a great rapport of coaching his team to success no matter who his quarterback is.”
Fansided’s Fogal also made the point that Trubisky could benefit from a change of scenery and a far superior offensive line, as well:
“If Mitch Trubisky played all 16 games for the Bears in 2020 then he would be on pace to take 52 sacks. Pittsburgh’s offensive line hasn’t allowed a single sack through 13 weeks of the season. If you’re Tomlin and the Steelers front office then you need a better answer behind Big Ben. No more (Mason) Rudolph or Joshua Dobbs, who is leaving in free agency anyway. Trubisky is used to playing in the cold and has shown potential at this point in his career.”
While Trubisky’s shortcomings are well documented — his accuracy issues coupled with his difficulties dissecting and reading defenses have been undeniable problems — there’s also validity to the idea Bears head coach Matt Nagy has failed to play to the quarterback’s strengths. Nagy has often tried to turn Trubisky into a pocket passer — something he’s clearly not. Perhaps it’s not so odd to wonder whether Trubisky could flourish elsewhere, in a new system, under a new head coach.
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Trubisky Already Has a Major Ally in Pittsburgh…
There’s also a fan of Trubisky’s on the Steelers’ bench to consider: Starting running back James Connor, who endorsed Trubisky this past summer before the season even began:
“Make sure you’re not sleeping on my boy, Mitch though,” Conner said this summer. “I think Mitch is going to come out hot this year. That’s my dog, I played [with] Mitch [during] my senior year of high school. We’ve been going at it, you know Pitt vs. North Carolina … I know his work ethic, I know what he’s about to do so he’s going to come out fired up.”
It’s far too early to determine where the former second-overall pick will wind up next year — but Pittsburgh sounds like a prime landing spot for the current Bears quarterback if he wants a chance to potentially revive his career.
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