NEWSLETTER
Mitch Trubisky might not think he’s famous, but when was the last time a not-famous person joined Pro Football Talk Live?
Trubisky touched on a variety of topics in his interview with PFT’s Mike Florio. Everything from his feelings on the Cavaliers’ NBA Finals defeat, life in a new offense, how he is handling life as QB1, and more. You can check out the interview in its entirety below …
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… but first, we’ve selected some highlights that deserve some extra analysis and additional commentary.
On Being “That Man”
Before we can dive into the changes in the offense Trubisky will run this season, we must note the biggest difference between this year and last is that No. 10 is No. 1 on the depth chart. Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez helped guide Trubisky in his rookie season, and it’s evident he is thankful for their assistance to get him to this point. After going through last season, Trubisky is now prepared to go into the season as a leader instead of a follower.
“Just being the guy, the starter from Day 1, has helped a lot because I can lead in the way I know how and really just take over this team and decide where we go from there. Just bring energy and passion to practice everyday and make sure we’re heading in the right direction so we can get ready for a great season. It’s been really good so far, and I like getting all the reps I possibly can with the 1s.”
Trubisky Explains It All (And By All, I Think We Mean That Literally)
Saying you’re a leader and being a leader are two different things. Now that he is fully entrenched as QB1, Trubisky has a ton of responsibilities that he didn’t have to be accountable for at this time last year. Even though he was in a backup role in training camp, Trubisky still found a way to show leadership qualities and earn the respect of his teammates as his hard work as a third-stringer really showed.
One year later, Trubisky seems to have a full grasp of what his responsibilities are moving forward.
“Knowing my job inside and out, stepping into the huddle, ripping through the play call, and they know I know exactly what to do when I step in the huddle and making their jobs easier. So when I step in the huddle, getting guys lined up if someone needs a route, making sure they’re running the right route. Communicating the blocking scheme, mike points, protection, run play, pass play. Whatever we’re doing, making my guy’s jobs easier.”
Other than that, Trubisky doesn’t have much on his plate.
It All Starts at the Top
If the Bears are going to turn it around, it’s going to start with Trubisky growing into a franchise quarterback. The NFL is a quarterback-driven league and teams will go only as far as the man under center takes them. This isn’t to say good and successful teams can’t be run-based offenses or defense-led squads. But when push comes to shove, it’s what a quarterback does in crunch time that often decides which teams win and lose.
So with that being said, it’s easy to love how Trubisky is taking being a leader to heart:
“As long as they know I’m on top of what exactly I need to do, and I’m getting everyone else lined up and on the same page and we’re rolling … that’s kind of how I go about my business. Knowing my job, leading by example, earning the respect of my teammates, and just always having their back and being there for them, that’s kind of my style.”
Being QB1 in This Offense Sounds Like Fun
The Bears’ offense had its moments in 2017. They were just too few and far between to matter too much. We’ll always have the trick play against the Vikings on Monday Night Football, Tarik Cohen and Jordan Howard running all over the playoff-bound Steelers defense, and even a deep throw (actually, two) from Trubisky himself.
And judging by Trubisky’s words, it sounds like we’ll see more of that deep passing game … especially if the group is really ahead of schedule.
“This offense is going to be amazing. It’s a really fun scheme. We’re going to spread the ball around, use all our playmakers, stretch the ball down the field, as well as intermediate routes. We’re going to use the RPO, run the ball, and really just create mismatches with the personnel we’ve got. It’s been going really well so far. Coach Nagy says we’re much further in the installation of the offense than he expected, and that’s a great thing for us.”
