After seeing his quarterback throw an ill-advised third-quarter interception to Blidi Wreh-Wilson against the Falcons Sunday, Chicago Bears head coach Matt Nagy made the decision to bench Mitchell Trubisky. The miscue came on the heels of several other missed throws from the former second overall pick in a game in which the Bears were trailing 26-10.
Backup Nick Foles came in with 9:58 to play in the third quarter, and after a bit of a slow start, threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to lead Chicago to a 30-26 win. To his credit, a slightly rattled Trubisky spoke to the media afterward and revealed what went through his head when he was told to take a seat on the bench.
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Bears QB Mitch Trubisky on Benching: ‘It Kind of Happened Out of Nowhere’
When asked how Nagy told him he was about to be benched, Trubisky said it wasn’t Nagy who broke the news, but offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.
“It wasn’t Matt, it was coach Lazor,” Trubisky said. “It kind of happened out of nowhere. He just said: Nick is up, and that was that. I just accepted the news. I had Nick’s back like he’s had mine. The situation sucked, but it was just the flow of the game, how it was happening, and coach made a decision that he felt was best for the team, and I’m really happy for this team. They battled back and it was awesome to get a ‘W’. But it sucks to get news like that, but that’s just how it goes. I’ve gotta control what I can control.”
Trubisky later called his interception to Wreh-Wilson a “crappy” play, noting he didn’t see the streaking defender get a break on the ball.
Trubisky Vowed to Be Strong, Supportive Teammate Moving Forward
When asked how he would psychologically prepare for games now that he was benched in favor of Foles, Trubisky said he would continue to work hard and put his teammates first.
“I think I’m just gonna approach practice trying to perfect my craft, trying to get better, always being there for my teammates,” Trubisky said. “It’s still a team-first game, so whoever is first, if Nick’s the starter going forward, it is what it is, and I gotta have his back just like he had mine.”
Does Trubisky think his benching was warranted? “It’s always one game at a time. What I did in the first week and the second week doesn’t really matter,” he said. “Coach felt like making a change and taking me out would help us do better and the only thing I can control is me playing better and when I had those reps in the first half, I didn’t do that … it’s just a tough deal sometimes.”
Trubisky also owned a key overthrow to wideout Anthony Miller late in the second quarter. Trubisky sailed the throw a few yards over Miller’s outreached hands, while Foles hit him on the same play for the win in the fourth. “Mine, I overthrew it, and Nick had a really good throw for the go-ahead win. And that’s how it goes. You gotta make those throws. That’s on me.”
Whatever people think of Trubisky’s play, they have to respect the way he has handled himself off the field, particularly after he was benched for the first time Sunday. The 26-year-old quarterback vowed to have a positive attitude moving forward, and while Nagy hasn’t committed to a starter for Week 4, it seems pretty clear Trubisky’s days as the starting quarterback for the Bears are numbered.
You can watch Trubisky’s full postgame press conference below.
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Bears’ Mitch Trubisky Has Strong Response to Being Benched for Nick Foles