BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (AP) - Mitchell Trubisky is tired of it all.
The Chicago quarterback has no use for the critics. And when it comes to social media, he’s taking a breather, too.
All Trubisky wants is to start training camp and see just how far the Bears can go in his second season after finishing last in the NFC North the past four years.
They came into their first practice Friday believing they are in a better position after a busy offseason. Whether they deliver largely hinges on the guy behind center.
“I’m tired of all the doubts, all the comparisons,” Trubisky said. “I don’t really pay attention to that. I’m tired of waiting. I’m just excited camp is here and we’ll see what we can do for Year 2. So all of that stuff, I can’t control none of that. All I can do is control my attitude and my effort and go out there and play the game the way I know how.”
Don’t ask him about the improvements Carson Wentz and Jared Goff made from Year 1 to Year 2 last season. Trubisky isn’t all that interested.
The same goes for any outside critiques and distractions, so he’s taking a break from social media.
“(I’m) going Zero Dark 10,” he said, referencing his jersey number.
Trubisky, who hasn’t posted on Twitter since July 2, said he and guard Kyle Long decided to lay off social media and focus on football, instead.
“I’m trying to put all my focus and energy into this game and what I have to do,” he said. “And whatever anyone else says on the outside, whether it be positive or negative or hype or just trying to tear me down, it really doesn’t matter to me. I know who I am, I know what kind of player I can be, I know my role on this team so that’s really what I’m looking forward to prove to myself and my team.”
Trubisky said he read a few too many comments from people who didn’t know what they were talking about. He saw no reason to “let that enter my head,” so he decided to block it out completely.
“For me it’s just eliminating distractions and putting all my time and effort into what’s important,” he said.
As Trubisky goes, so probably go the Bears.
General manager Ryan Pace went all in when he traded up a spot with San Francisco to draft him with the No. 2 overall pick in 2017, staking his reputation to a quarterback with just 13 starts at North Carolina. The Bears also spent this past offseason surrounding Trubisky with the pieces they think will help him succeed, hiring an offensive-minded coach in Matt Nagy, signing former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson and bringing in some more play-making targets.
“The kid genuinely cares about the game of football and his position,” Nagy said. “He wants to be the greatest teammate on this team and he knows that if he does that, he’ll make guys around him better.”
Trubisky is in a far different spot than he was this time last year, when he began camp as the No. 3 quarterback. The Bears switched to Trubisky after Mike Glennon struggled through the first four games. But it was clear even in the preseason that he was the better option.
Now, Trubisky is front and center. It is clearly his huddle, his team. He is the leader.
The training wheels are off. Or, as Long put it, “He’s got some facial hair and he’s got some bass in his voice.”
And Trubisky welcomes it.
“I feel a lot more comfortable than last year,” he said. “I know my role, I know exactly what I need to do, I know the offense. I can just go out there and be myself. I know everybody on the team, I’ve earned their respect and trust and I’ll continue to do so through my work ethic and how much I care about this team and this game.”
Notes: Rookie LB Roquan Smith remained unsigned and missed the first training camp practice. He was Chicago’s first-round draft pick at No. 8 overall. “Roquan is a great kid, a great football player and when the time comes for him to be here, he’ll be out here and he’ll get those reps back,” Nagy said. … LB Danny Trevathan and CB Sherrick McMcManis missed practice because of hamstring injuries, while WR Josh Bellamy sat out because of strep throat, Nagy said. He said Trevathan’s and McManis’ injuries were not serious.
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