Following a few weeks of harsh but fair criticism, Bears QB Mitch Trubisky finally had his breakthrough game against the Redskins, which included three second-quarter touchdowns.
While Trubisky didn’t have a great game, his solid performance was just the confidence booster he needed as he continues forward in what’s a pivotal season for his development.
The criticism surrounding Trubisky this season has been fair. But there’s a difference between demanding more from a QB in his third season and tossing his name into a cesspool of notable NFL busts.
Following the Bears’ 31-15 win over the Redskins, ESPN analyst Ryan Clark joined Scott Van Pelt on Sportscenter to discuss the concern about Trubisky’s development, where he wound up making a ridiculous comparison.
“We already know he’s compared to the other two guys in Mahomes and Watson, he’s going to start being compared to guys like (Ryan) Leaf and Jamarcus Russell as busts.”
Clark made some fair points, including how Trubisky’s third year should showcase noticeable improvement and the comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson.
But Clark definitely took things too far when he compared Trubisky to two of the biggest busts in NFL history in Russell and Leaf.
Leaf’s NFL career lasted just 21 starts, where he logged a career record of 4-17. He tossed 14 touchdowns to 36 interceptions and had a completion percentage of 48 percent.
Russell’s numbers weren’t much better. He completed just 52 percent of his passes and had 18 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in his short career, where he was 7-18 as a starter.
As for Trubisky, he’s completed 63 percent of his passes with 34 touchdowns to 21 interceptions and boasts a 17-12 record as a starter in his third season.
Is it fair to question whether Trubisky can be a viable franchise quarterback? Absolutely. But insinuating that Trubisky’s name belongs in the same sentence as the likes of Leaf and Russell is ludicrous.
