The first Mitch Trubisky press conference as the starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears was highly anticipated. People wondered how the rookie #2 overall pick was going to react to the increased spotlight and expectations. He can’t hide behind the fact he’s on the bench anymore. All things considered it’s safe to say the moment doesn’t seem too big for him.
Trubisky took every question with a calm, straightforward manner. He passed all ideas of praise for him onto his teammates and thanked both Mike Glennon and Mark Sanchez for their tireless efforts helping him to learn the pro game as quickly as possible. There were no jokes cracked, no sighs of relief and no smiling. He was all business.
Yet hidden beneath that shell was a confident young man bubbling to a simmer. It was apparent to anybody who could read between the line that Trubisky is itching for the opportunity and believes he’ll take full advantage of it.
Mitch Trubisky press conference showcased his eagerness to lead
For the most part Mitch talked about common things. The expectation is the coaches will keep things simple for him. That means running the ball, moving the pocket and adhering to his strengths as a player. At the same time when he received a question about whether he felt pressure, he offered advice he’d gotten from his high school quarterbacks coach.
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#Bears QB Mitch Trubisky says his HS QB coach told him "pressure only comes when you're not prepared."
— Bob LeGere (@BobLeGere) October 3, 2017
Good line. For those who might not know that’s a paraphrasing of two giants of NFL history in Hall of Fame QB Johnny Unitas and Hall of Fame coach Chuck Noll. A bit later on he was asked what exactly the offense was getting with his elevation to starter and what his job will be.
"Gun-slinger mentality, stay within the offense, be consistent, do my job. Get the ball to my playmakers…" Trubisky. #Bears
— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) October 3, 2017
The interesting part is of course the gun-slinger comment. That might frighten people after so many years of Jay Cutler but it’s likely it meant he’s expected to take a few more risks down the field. A persistent problem with Glennon during his four-game run was his unwillingness to test defenses down the field. That allowed opponents to stack the box against the run. No doubt the goal is to change that.
Perhaps his most exciting quote though was saved for the end.
Trubisky admires Deshaun Watson and believes they’re the same
Everybody of course saw what happened on Sunday when fellow rookie QB Deshaun Watson lit up the Tennessee Titans for 57 points. He threw four touchdowns and ran for another. Instantly people assumed the pressure would mount on Trubisky to perform at that level when he got on the field. Not only is that unfair but also unrealistic.
Inevitably he was asked about his impressions of the performance. Mitch heaped praise on Watson, but also didn’t shrink from the idea he’s just as good.
Trubisky on Deshaun Watson's 5 TD game Sunday: "Didnt surprise me at all because I know what kind of person and player Deshaun is."
— Brad Biggs (@BradBiggs) October 3, 2017
At the end of that quote he had one final line, “The big stage isn’t going to phase him…..or myself.” If ever there was a subconscious inflection of how naturally confident he is, that was it. There’s no telling whether the Bears have themselves a franchise quarterback. Only time will do that.
However, it’s clear he believes he can be one and that’s always vital.
