Mitch Trubisky is officially a free agent. As he moves on from Bears, here are 20 of the most important stories from the QB’s 4-year tenure.
CHICAGO — Mitch Trubisky is no longer a Chicago Bears quarterback.
When the clock struck 3 p.m. Wednesday, Trubisky officially became a free agent, ending four tumultuous years with the Bears. The No. 2 draft pick from 2017 now is able to sign with any team that wants to give him a second chance after his ultimately disappointing tenure in Chicago.
As Trubisky considers his next destination, here’s a look back at his time with the Bears through 20 of the Chicago Tribune’s most important stories about him.
Why did the Bears draft Mitch Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson?
Nov. 12, 2019
The rundown: The Tribune’s most-visited — and revisited — story of the Trubisky era tackled the question that will haunt the Bears and their fans for years. In the lead-up to the 2017 draft, general manager Ryan Pace became so enamored with Trubisky that he traded up from No. 3 to No. 2 to pick him, passing over Mahomes and Watson. Dan Wiederer and Rich Campbell did a deep dive to figure out why.
Mitch Trubisky’s time as a Bears quarterback is nearing the end after only 4 seasons. Where did the time go?
March 12, 2021
The rundown: As Trubisky and the Bears approached their breakup, Wiederer recapped the highs and lows of his tenure, from the energizing buildup to the Bears’ 100th season to the ultimate letdown in 2019 and beyond. The story examined the failings of both Trubisky and the organization that was supposed to develop him.
Bears go all-in, engineer jaw-dropping trade to draft QB Mitch Trubisky
April 27, 2017
The rundown: The initial reaction to Pace’s trade from No. 3 to No. 2 to draft Trubisky started with this line: “Ten years from now, every Bears fan will still be talking about Thursday night and that jaw-dropping moment this football-crazed city will never forget.” The story allows us to revisit Pace’s draft-night comments on his evaluation and Trubisky’s reaction to joining the Bears.
Ranking Mitch Trubisky’s starts with the Bears, from a record-tying 6-touchdown day to a major season-opening dud
Dec. 30, 2020
The rundown: For those looking for a more detailed look at the highs and lows of Trubisky’s career, this story examined his 52 starts with the franchise — and ranked them, from the record-setting game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018 to the season-opening dud against the Green Bay Packers in 2019.
‘Tru’ Papa Bear: How Dave Trubisky helped Mitch become the man the Bears had to have
June 18, 2017
The rundown: As Bears fans were getting to know their new quarterback, Campbell visited Trubisky’s hometown of Mentor, Ohio. He spoke with Trubisky’s family to dig into what molded him into the quarterback the Bears thought was their guy.
How a covert visit to Chapel Hill solidified the Bears’ conviction in Mitch Trubisky
May 20, 2017
The rundown: The first of Wiederer’s eight-chapter Chicago Hope series over the course of the 2017 season detailed Pace’s stealthy pursuit of Trubisky, including the visit to Chapel Hill, N.C., that helped seal their future union.
The Bears attended Deshaun Watson’s pro day in 2017 — but that was about it. Why didn’t they show more interest?
Dec. 9, 2020
The rundown: As a follow-up to the 2019 article examining Pace’s selection of Trubisky over Mahomes and Watson, this story went deeper into why the Bears weren’t more interested in Watson. It’s all the more interesting now as Trubisky moves on and Watson publicly voices his desire for the Houston Texans to trade him.
It’s Nick Foles’ job now to be the Bears offense’s ‘eraser’ after Matt Nagy benched Mitch Trubisky in a decision there’s no turning back from
Sept. 27, 2020
The rundown: This game column from Brad Biggs details one of the major turning points of Trubisky’s Bears career — when coach Matt Nagy benched him for Nick Foles in the middle of the game against the Atlanta Falcons. Foles led the Bears to a comeback victory, and Trubisky remained on the bench for the next seven games.
The perfect way to end — or extend — Mitch Trubisky’s time in Chicago is a Bears-Packers game at Soldier Field. Can he handle the weight of the moment?
Dec. 31, 2020
The rundown: As the Bears approached their 2020 regular-season finale against the Packers with a playoff berth on the line, Colleen Kane examined the highs and lows of Trubisky’s final season, from getting benched for Foles to putting together a better stretch against a string of bad teams. The extremes left space for both the Trubisky supporters and the doubters to make their arguments.
Mitch Trubisky looks the part in Bears debut, offers hope despite late pick
Oct. 10, 2017
The rundown: David Haugh’s game column from Trubisky’s regular-season debut against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field feels relevant even four years later. Haugh wrote of Trubisky’s potential despite a late mistake the Vikings turned into an interception — and the winning field goal.
On Mitch Trubisky’s special day, he makes Bears history and restores hope for the future
Sept. 30, 2018
The rundown: Haugh recounted Trubisky’s best day as the Bears quarterback, when he threw six touchdown passes and had a 154.6 passer rating in a 48-10 victory over the Buccaneers.
The Bears’ Week 1 implosion felt like the Fyre Festival. So what’s next for Mitch Trubisky and the offense?
Sept. 9, 2019
The rundown: Wiederer examined all that went wrong in the 10-3 season-opening dud against the Packers — one of the most disappointing losses of Trubisky’s career and a harbinger of what was to come in the 2019 season. And he explained why Bears fans were forewarned about such struggles.
The Mitch Trubisky divide: National pundits rip the Bears QB while the team raves about him
Nov. 8, 2018
The rundown: Even as the Bears put together their best season under Trubisky in 2018, he was a polarizing figure because of the vastly different assessments of his play. Biggs looked at the chasm between what the national analysts and the Bears were saying.
Is Mitch Trubisky a future star or an inconsistent headache? After two seasons the jury is still out
Jan. 11, 2019
The rundown: Want more on how nobody could figure out whether Trubisky was the Bears’ answer at quarterback? This story used the playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, including the late drive Trubisky led to set up Cody Parkey’s missed field goal, as evidence the Bears needed more from Trubisky if they wanted to contend.
Mitch Trubisky’s Pro Bowl excitement doesn’t change the ‘kind of heartbreaking’ playoff loss just 18 days ago
Jan. 23, 2019
The rundown: Less than three weeks after the Bears season ended prematurely with a first-round playoff loss to the Eagles, Trubisky was in Orlando, Fla., for his only Pro Bowl appearance. The story, like those from the Bears 100 celebration, was a portrait from when Trubisky — and many fans — believed there were bigger things to come for him with the Bears.
How Mitch Trubisky is being helped on his NFL climb by the Wall Street Journal’s leadership columnist
Sept. 9, 2018
The rundown: As Trubisky prepared for his first season under Nagy, Campbell detailed how the young quarterback was seeking advice from author and Wall Street Journal columnist Sam Walker on how to become a better leader.
Mitch Trubisky spreads his wings, drives ahead after snowy Soldier Field send-off
Dec. 26, 2017
The rundown: The final chapter of the Chicago Hope series from Trubisky’s rookie year was only four years ago, but it feels nostalgic at this point. The Bears finished 5-11 in John Fox’s final season, but the thought of a new coach coming in to guide Trubisky propelled hope forward.
The 10 days last October that shook the Bears’ faith in Mitch Trubisky
July 23, 2020
The rundown: As Trubisky prepared to enter the 2020 training camp battle with Foles, Wiederer looked back on how the Bears got into the quarterback mess they were in. By examining back-to-back losses to the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers in 2019, he explained how Nagy lost faith in Trubisky.
Was Mitch Trubisky’s final play — a TD in garbage time — also his final pass for the Bears? QB says locker room was ‘emotional’ after playoff loss.
Jan. 10, 2021
The rundown: Trubisky’s final performance in a Bears uniform in the 21-9 playoff loss to the Saints was unremarkable. Afterward, he acknowledged it was “emotional” in the locker room as he realized it might be his last game with some of his Bears teammates.
Can Mitch Trubisky be the one to rewrite Bears history after 99 seasons of franchise mediocrity at quarterback?
Sept. 3, 2019
The rundown: In the lead-up to the Bears’ 100th season, this story broke down the franchise’s century-long struggle to find the right quarterback. The hopes for Trubisky after the 2018 season played prominently into the piece. But now, on his way out of Chicago, Trubisky is just another in the “revolving door” of Bears quarterbacks.