NEWSLETTER
One thing I find alluring about the Chicago Bears starting Tyson Bagent at quarterback is that he is a complete unknown.
No one knows what the rookie from Shepherd University can do in a game of consequence. And anyone who says they know is lying to you. We might have an idea of how things might break. Or we could put together our best guesses. But one of the most beautiful things about football is that you can’t script it. Weird things happen when that oblong ball gets put on the playing surface.
Bagent was given his first opportunity to meet the Chicago media at Halas Hall as a starter. I’ve pulled some highlights and added some commentary for context and perspective. At the bottom of this post, there is a link and an embedded video to watch Bagent’s press conference in its entirety. Enjoy!
Ready to “go out there and fight”
From the top, I’m digging Tyson Bagent’s mindset going into this game.
“I’ve pretty much beat every odds that there was for me. So I’ve got nothing to lose,” Bagent said. “I’m going to go out there and fight with these guys to the death and try to stack up as many wins as I can until we get Justin back.”
Bagent knows this is a unique opportunity for him. And while QB2 gracefully made a note that he is simply holding down the fort until Justin Fields is healthy again, Bagent is ready to go in and let ‘er rip. I’m totally here for that. Who knows? Maybe it’ll result in some chunk plays to D.J. Moore, Darnell Mooney, and Cole Kmet.
Motivational factors
Everyone loves an underdog story. And if the Bears can pull off an upset win against the Raiders, I think we’ll look back fondly at this quote:
“To look where I’m at and to look how everything has fallen into place, just nothing but extreme gratitude and feeling super blessed to be able to be that motivational role in the younger people in my family. Be that person they can look up to and just motivation for everybody maybe at a smaller level and all the people at home.”
There is definitely a “happy to be here” element in the tone of Bagent’s voice. I can’t say I blame him either. To go from an undrafted free agent quarterback who played collegiately at Division II to starting for the Chicago Bears is a monumental leap. And it isn’t one Bagent is taking for granted.
Building confidence
You often learn more about a player with how they respond to adversity. Getting knocked down stinks, but what you do after you get up can tell a different story. This week, Tyson Bagent’s story will include a full week’s worth of practice reps. And getting a full work load is one of those things Bagent feels will help build some confidence. Although, it seems like he has plenty of it.
“I receive a lot of love through my family throughout the week, so I know I’ve got a strong family base back home. And also, I think that the preparation that’s put in,” Bagent said. “I’m not usually that comfortable until I know the whole game plan, so kinda put that burden on myself throughout the week. Get the game plan. Knowing it in and out gives me that confidence to go out there and play to the best of my ability.” whole week.”
Going into a game cold with minimal reps isn’t ideal. So with that in mind, Bagent’s efforts in Week 6 were admirable. And he could (should?) be better in Week 7 after fully immersing himself into the game plan. Yes, his fumble (which was returned for a touchdown that turned out to be a difference in a 6-point loss) and interception (which prevented the Bears from snatching a victory the Vikings seemed more than willing to give away last Sunday) were soul-crushing turnovers. Even still … I’m curious to see how Bagent rebounds from those miscues.
Tyson Bagent extra points
If you want to watch Tyson Bagent’s first media availability as a starting quarterback, you can watch the video below (or check it out here):
