Mitch Trubisky has never been short on confidence.
Instead of transferring out of North Carolina, he patiently waited his turn to start at quarterback knowing he would shine when given the opportunity. Then when given the reins to run the Chicago Bears offense after the Mike Glennon experience crashed and burned, Trubisky held his own all while playing with one hand tied behind his back.
Things started to change for Trubisky at the end of last year. The coaching staff loosened up and allowed Trubisky to throw more. So even though his stats weren’t eye-catching, Trubisky maintained faith and a belief that better days were ahead. And long before Trubisky would link up with Jared Goff and become offseason roommates and workout buddies, Trubisky declared he would take a noticeable leap forward in his development.
So what was Trubisky’s secret to success? Perhaps some of it could be tied to a mindset he shared in this player profile:
Hearing Trubisky say he was “too blessed to be stressed” took me back to my childhood years. Specifically, to a high school gym teacher who put that saying into my head back in 2004. I remember being amused enough to tell my mother about it when I got home from school. Funny thing about it is that it was something she heard as a student, too … from the same teacher. Small world. As for Trubisky, I can understand why he would adopt this as something he carries with him. Five simple words that offer up all the perspective you need.
Take a moment to think back to July when Trubisky was about to enter his first training camp as a starting quarterback with Head Coach Matt Nagy ready to push along his new pet project. Remember that eye-opening interview with Bleacher Report’s Tyler Dunne that we profiled? As it turns out, Trubisky was able to speak his confidence, as well as his belief in himself and the teammates around him into excellence.
Trubisky talked about wanting opposing teams to “fear coming into Chicago” and the Bears finished the 2018 regular season with a 7-1 home record, which included wins against the Lions, Packers, and Vikings. He was open to taking on the challenges that Aaron Rodgers, Matthew Stafford, and Kirk Cousins brought to the table, and to this point, is 5-1 against the teams those players quarterback. Let’s not lose sight of how far Trubisky has grown as a quarterback and as a leader, because it’s important to keep that in perspective.
Having the confidence to accept the challenges ahead speaks volumes of what a player is and can become. But to have the skill to back it up, well, that’s when the fun begins. Trubisky is only beginning to test his powers. And even though he still has his doubters, he sounds like he’s ready to take on the task of silencing whatever is left of them.
Good on you, kid. You better get to work.