Chargers coach Anthony Lynn liked Mitch Trubisky when he came out of North Carolina.
“Just watching him on the field, he made throws, he had a quick release,” Lynn said Tuesday. “He reminded me sometimes of Aaron Rodgers, the way he moved around. If he ever got in a bind, he could create. I thought he had the total package.”
Lynn had one person to thank for added insight: the boy he used to pay to mow his lawn.
Trubisky’s backup at North Carolina, Nathan Elliott, grew up a block away from Lynn, who keeps a house in his hometown of Celina, Texas. Lynn’s son played high school football for Elliott’s father Bill.
“Nathan Elliott, since he was a little boy, I paid him to mow my lawn,” Lynn said. “He ended up being a heckuva quarterback in high school. He ended up getting a scholarship to North Carolina, and he backed up Mitch. …
“The more I looked at [Trubisky] and studied him, I saw something. He only started for that one year, but I knew his work ethic because the guy that backed him up … just raved about his leadership and work ethic.
“So I know a lot of intangibles about him that some others didn’t.”
That was worth more than the $25 Lynn paid a young Elliott.
“I see a guy that I studied a lot coming out of school, and really liked him,” Lynn said. “And I saw him help turn that [Bears] program around last year, a 12-4 season.
“I loved the way [Bears coach] Matt [Nagy] used him.
“I think he’s a starting quarterback in this league. Shoot, he was hurt for 3-4 weeks there, but came back, played a tough team. I think he’s a heckuva quarterback. I like the young man.”
