LAKE FOREST – The phrase “the most important game is the next one” is 100 percent true for the Bears’ signal caller on Sunday afternoon.
It’s easy to argue it the most important in the professional football career of Mitchell Trubisky, because so much is on the line.
From team standpoint, the reasoning is simple: Win and the Bears are in the playoffs. They could get in with a Cardinals’ loss to the Rams, but the direct way is for the quarterback to beat the Packers for the second time in his career at Soldier Field.
On a personal level, the stakes may be even greater. With his contract expiring at the end of this season, whether on Sunday or in the playoffs, these are moments for Trubisky to either earn a new contract with the Bears or another team.
The quarterback’s not naïve to what’s on the line when he takes the field Sunday, but he does believe 2020 prepared him to deal with such a situation. From not getting his contract extended to having to compete for his job, winning it in camp, then losing it in Week 3, to eventually getting it back, Trubisky is prepared for anything.
“Everything that I’ve experienced this season has just made me strong and a better person and player. What I’ve had to deal with, everything we’ve overcome as a team, just to see where we are now. I think it gives you confidence going into it,” said Trubisky. “You now realize that all the distractions and everything you have to deal with through the season, and playing a season within a pandemic. It does make you mentally stronger as a person and you’re able to deal with a lot more.
“Now we have a great opportunity in front of us so it’s our job to continue to stay locked in and just look at what we’ve done the last couple of weeks and what we’ve been doing in practice, and go back to work and keep getting better.”
What this year’s trials have done for Trubisky is also grow his appreciation for those teammates around him. They’ve given him their support through the ups and downs and he’s returned the favor with a strong finish to the season.
The quarterback specifically thanked the offensive line, who has finally found consistency after months of struggle with changing personnel.
“I feel very proud of my guys and just honored that I have the opportunity to go out there and play with them. Especially the five guys up front and all the skill players we mix in but I have a special relationship with the five guys up front. Leno, Cody, Sam, Bars, and ‘Big G,’” said Trubisky. “They’re just a great group of guys and the way we’ve gelled and continued to get better over the last couple of weeks, especially when everybody counted us out. I think that just allowed us to become closer as a group, really count on one another, and really stick together through the tough times.
“I think everyone else has fed off the offensive line, their energy and intensity and how they’ve gotten better as a unit the last couple of weeks. Really, everything in our offense goes through them, so I’ve got to give a lot of credit to those guys.”
As they prepare together for a defining moment at 3:25 PM on Sunday.
