The comparisons between Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Chicago Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky have grown through the first two weeks of the 2018 regular season.
The signal-callers received plenty of hype throughout the summer months and they enter their second seasons. Mahomes, however, has exceeded expectations with 10 touchdowns passes through two games, while Trubisky remains a work in progress.
Bears first-year coach Matt Nagy possesses a unique perspective on the comparisons from his previous post as the Chiefs offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach. And Nagy pointed out during a Tuesday press conference that there is a large difference between the two quarterbacks within his offensive scheme.
"Well, what's fair to compare is you have one in Patrick, who has had a full year in this offense to understand it," Nagy told reporters, via the Bears' official website. "Now, regardless of playing it, he's had a full year -- more than a year -- to sit behind it and learn and understand and watch tape with those quarterbacks last year, and get to see all the talk, all the discussions of where you go to on this play and that play, whereas Mitchell hasn't had that.
"[Trubisky's] being forced into this thing right away, and so that's where these growing pains are going to occur. That's where -- I just want to make it clear to him and to everybody that if you're realistic about it, it does take a little bit of time and, in the meantime, as you saw last night, we have a defense that can help us out during this process. And so the sooner we get it and it starts clicking, then the better, but that's the difference between the two, and it's obviously neat to see Patrick doing so well right now."
Nagy's message of patience and stance on Mahomes' professional upbringing in Kansas City has merit, of course.
Trubisky, the second overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, has more playing experience given his 12 starts the past season, but he is now absorbing his second offensive scheme in as many years. Through two games, Trubisky has completed 48 of 69 passes (69.6 percent) for 371 yards and two touchdowns against two interceptions, while adding 56 yards rushing and a touchdown on 12 carries.
Mahomes, the 10th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, had the benefit of using his rookie season to learn behind an established veteran in Alex Smith and the process has transitioned well. Mahomes has completed 38 of 55 passes (69.1 percent) for 582 yards and 10 touchdowns with no interceptions.
Meanwhile, Nagy understands outside evaluations for quarterbacks from the same draft class are virtually certain to occur. The Bears head coach, however, doesn't believe there is a level of urgency or expectations for Trubisky to match Mahomes' fast start to the 2018 regular season.
"I don't see it that way," Nagy told reporters. "I think a lot of outsiders will because it's easy to compare two people because they were drafted in the same draft, top 10, one ahead of the other, and so those comparisons are easy.
"But what's real behind that is what I just said. You have one guy that has had plenty of time now to learn it, and when I say plenty of time trust me, he's (Mahomes) learning this thing, too, so he's just had an extra year to go through it. And so I don't think that's fair to Mitch to be put in that position, and I know Mitch doesn't put that on himself. We certainly don't do that. Hopefully in the end both of them have great, long careers in this type of offense."
