Heated conversations between a quarterback and head coach are nothing new in the NFL. Both men are competitors and want to win. This can lead to emotions running high and words being exchanged. Is it possible something like this happened on Monday Night Football between Matt Nagy and Mitch Trubisky? Some eagle-eyed fans seem to think so. It began with a video of a timeout during the second quarter of the game.
Trubisky went to the sideline to speak with Nagy, quarterbacks coach Dave Ragone, and backup Chase Daniel. He appears animated about something. As he keeps talking, Nagy finally seems to get in his face and says something firmly to him. Some who watched carefully seem to think he said the following:
“Listen, shut the fuck up. Shut the fuck up right now.”
It’s hard to deny that it looks like that is what he says. He also seems to say, “I got you,” right afterward. This would seem to suggest that Trubisky was upset about a play call and that led to the timeout being taken. In his animated explanation, Nagy made sure to snap him back to attention with that statement. Sure enough on the next play, Trubisky found Anthony Miller for 15 yards and a 1st down. Two plays later he threw his first of three touchdown passes in the quarter.
Nagy explained a couple of days later that the exchange was not personal at all. Merely task-related. Just two competitors having a heated exchange.
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Matt Nagy deserves benefit of the doubt on handling of Trubisky
The bottom line is whatever was said seemed to have the desired effect. Nagy got the best burst of performance the Bears have seen out of Trubisky in months. If a little hot sauce with his words is necessary to get the young QB focused on the job, then so be it. Nagy has already proven that he is a smart man when it comes to motivating his players. Nobody on that coaching staff knows Trubisky more intimately at this point. If he felt the need to snap at him a bit, that’s how it goes.
The quarterback himself didn’t seem too bothered by it. He was all smiles after the game, calmly answering questions. Perhaps people fear this might be another one of those Jay Cutler and Mike Martz situations. Cutler was known for hating the former Bears offensive coordinator. It doesn’t feel like this is the case at all. It’s more a father using his loud voice to get his son’s attention. There almost certainly isn’t much there to read into.
