Bears' Mitchell Trubisky ignores comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson

ByJeff Dickerson ESPN logo
Wednesday, December 18, 2019

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is well aware he'll be forever linked to Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson because he was selected before them by Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NFL draft.

As the Bears (7-7) prepare to host the Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) on Sunday night, Trubisky said Wednesday that he's ready for the inevitable comparisons between him and Mahomes, the reigning league MVP and second-highest rated passer in terms of total QBR in 2019.

"The comparisons are out there and they are never going to stop," Trubisky said. "It's kind of me, Pat and Deshaun are kind of all grouped together because we are in the same draft class, drafted in the first round and all that. But there are no do-overs. We are where we are."

Mahomes was selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft, and Watson went 12th to the Houston Texans.

Nearly three full seasons into their professional careers, Mahomes and Watson have both compiled superior statistics, despite Trubisky having appeared in more regular-season games.

"Our careers are going in different paths and they will for the rest of time and they'll be compared against each other," Trubisky said. "It's just the nature of the beast, but I'm in competition with myself and just trying to be the best version of me and go out there and win games for the Chicago Bears. It's just something that I can't control. It is what it is. But two good guys to be compared to. Hopefully we just keep getting better and help the league."

Trubisky, 25, endured a dreadful start to the year, but has since played better football over the past month. Still, he is ranked 23rd in passing yards (2,774), tied for 27th in total QBR (43.6) and is tied for 20th in touchdown passes (17).

The Bears were eliminated from the playoffs last week.

Bears coach Matt Nagy, who coached and helped develop Mahomes for one season in Kansas City, does not want Trubisky preoccupied with outplaying him on Sunday night.

"I tell Mitch not to worry about that; it's the Bears versus Chiefs," Nagy said. "That's the easiest way. The second you start getting into individual comparisons, whether it's me and coach or it's the quarterbacks, it's their defensive linemen and our defensive linemen, their rush end and ours and all that stuff, that's trouble.

"That's how I handle it. We don't even talk about it. It's important for our guys on our team to worry about the unit. Otherwise, if you start worrying about the individual stuff, I think that it doesn't normally go too well."