As the Chicago Bears approach the 2021 season, the pressing issue is once more who should be starting at quarterback.
For the first time since 2016, however, that conversation doesn’t involve Mitchell Trubisky.
Trubisky has ventured east from all the trials and tribulations in Chicago to a backup spot in Buffalo, tucked behind one of the NFL’s elite, Josh Allen.
Though initially aiming to find another starting spot to vie for, Trubisky ended up with the Bills, who have given him a place in which he feels wanted and where he can develop.
"At first, I wanted to go to a spot where I would get to compete for a starting position, but the right situation didn't come up and the opportunity wasn't there," Trubisky said Tuesday, via ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. "I looked at the next best thing, where I could continue to develop and continue to progress and become a better player and a person and fell into this organization, and I loved it ever since coming to Buffalo.
"It's just really nice to be a part of a great team and be somewhere where people want you here, and they care about how you're progressing as a person, as a player. It was an interesting process, but I feel like I'm right where I'm supposed to be right now, and I'm enjoying being here."
Within Trubisky’s comments, one quickly zooms in on the quarterback’s thoughts about being somewhere he believes he’s wanted.
Trubisky received plenty of scrutiny from fans and media members over the previous two years and change with many calling for a change at QB1. It would seem Trubisky was plenty pleased to find a new start -- even as a backup -- as well.
However, when it all began, the Bears wanted him enough to puzzle many by trading up to the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft to get him. When head coach Matt Nagy came into town -- along with pass rusher Khalil Mack -- in 2018, Trubisky showed some promise (24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 14 games with 230 yards per game) and earned a Pro Bowl bid. Alas, the Bears followed up that NFC North-winning campaign with back-to-back 8-8 seasons. Trubisky struggled far more than he showed promise or improvement and last year he ping-ponged back and forth as the starter with Nick Foles, neither of them ever truly igniting the offense.
Especially over the last two years, Trubisky was routinely scrutinized, but the Bears did give him three seasons as the Week 1 starter following his rookie campaign.
"I kind of saw it coming, just the way I was progressing. Year 2 was really good and then Year 3 and 4, not as good," Trubisky said. "I was dealing with some injuries and some other things going on there, but like I said, it was disappointing, but it wasn't a surprise. Throughout the process, you can kind of see that they were just continuously believing in me less and less, and that's just kind of how that process went."
Now, Justin Fields is the new hope in Chicago and Andy Dalton is the current starter, while Trubisky has moved to Buffalo. But, interestingly enough, Trubisky and the Bills will be in Chicago for Week 2 of the preseason.
"It'll be weird going back there," he said. "But I'm looking forward to going back there."