Sometime in the afternoon Aug. 10, as Soldier Field sits quiet and ready to have its first exhibition game of a new season and a new era, Mitch Trubisky's phone will ding.
He knows it's coming. He has gotten the text from his dad dozens of times.
Just do what you do.
It might sound cliche or trite, but it sparks a fire. Football has connected Dave Trubisky and his son since Mitch was old enough to pick up a ball.
"All I have to do is do what I was born to do: Play this game and have fun," Mitch says. "Getting that text from him, it means I'm ready to go. As long as I give it my all, I know he's going to be proud of me, which is the best feeling in the world."
After all these years, as Dave celebrates Father's Day as a dad for the 23rd time, he isn't quite sure if Mitch needs those words of encouragement as much as he needs to offer them.
The ritual started when Mitch was on the junior varsity at Mentor High School in this town of about 46,000 people 25 miles northeast of Cleveland. Dave had coached his oldest son from age 7 through youth league but suddenly was more detached.
"Now I'm a parent in the bleachers; it was kind of tough," Dave recalled. "That was just my way of getting him ready for the game or trying to calm him down and just keep him straight."
The texts continued through Mitch's varsity career, which included a legendary run to the 2012 state semifinal in Ohio's biggest classification and culminated with him being named Mr. Football of the state.
They continued at North Carolina, where Mitch emerged last season as one of the top college quarterbacks in the country, compelling the Bears to trade up to draft him second overall.
By now, Dave's text message to his son is so ingrained in their pregame routine that it has become superstition. On the receiving end, Mitch has a great appreciation for how his father, as well as his mother, Jeanne, helped mold him into the star college player and amiable, loyal person who arrived at Halas Hall this spring.
"One of the most real, genuine things in this world is love for your family, your parents," Mitch says. "Especially my dad, if I just give my all, knowing that it makes him proud, it just makes me want to strive for that much more. Sharing these moments and that happiness together is really special."
