Mitchell Trubisky, the Chicago Bears 1st round Draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft (2nd overall), was benched in favor of Nick Foles, the quarterback acquired in a trade in 2020 for a 4th round compensatory pick, according to ESPN on Sept. 27th, 2020. Trubisky’s play has been up and down with drive-killing turnovers and erratic quarterback play so coach Matt Nagy made the crucial decision to bench the player.
Once Trubisky was benched, the backup quarterback led the team to victory after being down 26-10 in the 4th quarter. It did not start well for Nick Foles. He was picked off in the end zone by an Atlanta Falcons defensive back. It was a 50-50 ball that was ripped away from Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson II. Usually, the wide receiver is given the benefit of the doubt, but not in this instance.
The Falcons offense was stagnant and kept giving the ball back to the Chicago Bears, and eventually, Nick Foles will lead the team to a comeback win when it seemed the Bears were destined for defeat.
The Chicago Bears are a quirky team. Their record stands at 3-0, tied with their division rival Green Bay Packers, but the team can easily be 0-3.
Their first game saw a game-winning touchdown dropped by the Detroit lions. Last week against the New York Giants, a deflected pass prevented the giants from taking the lead in the final seconds. Then, in Week 3’s game, Nick Foles rallied the troops for a come from behind win.
Atlanta seems to be experiencing several game-deciding blunders lately. Last week against the Dallas Cowboys, the “hands” unit did not properly cover an onside kick by the Cowboys, which led to a game-winning drive once Dallas recovered the onside kick.
It is safe to say the Trubisky era is over in Chicago, baring injury at the delicate position. Foles is familiar with the offense and didn’t come at a cheap price after signing a 3-year $24 million contract. He also led the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl Champions of the NFL after being the first player to catch and throw a big game touchdown.
The Chicago Bears passed up on Patrick Mahomes and Desean Watson in the same 2017 NFL draft to pick Trubisky. Both aforementioned players have great success in leading their respective teams, with Mahomes leading the Kansas City Chiefs to the NFL Super Bowl Championship in 2020.
Trubisky was given ample opportunities to succeed but did not seem like a good fit for the Nagy led offense. Costly red-zone mistakes that led to interceptions and fumbles were the straw that finally broke the camel’s back. Trubisky was highly touted coming out of North Carolina but never panned out in Chicago. His 5th-year option also was not picked up by the Chicago Bears because of sporadic play.
He is scheduled to be a free agent after the 2020 NFL season.
Written by Jasmin Williams
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Source:
ESPN: Is Mitchell Trubisky done in Chicago?; Dan Graziano
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