Chicago Bears: Mitchell Trubisky just needs to relax

The Chicago Bears should be helping its quarterback find a way to relax if it wants to make him a better quarterback.

If Mitchell Trubisky, the quarterback for the Chicago Bears, ever asked me for advice (which would never happen) I would tell him to simply “relax.” I honestly believe that is the single most important thing he can do at this point to improve his performance.

Ironically, Trubisky was a refreshing change from Jay Cutler who seemed to literally not care about anything. He was as aloof and disinterested as a human being could be. His detractors constantly harped on his apparent lack of interest in playing the game.

However, Trubisky could benefit greatly from taking a little bit of Cutler’s “don’t care” approach.

From his very first day with the team, we heard how Mitch was the first player into the facility and the last person to leave. He poured over the playbook and obsessed over being the best quarterback he could be.

It was refreshing and exactly what you’d expect from a rookie quarterback. But is there a point where a player can become too obsessed? It’s possible. We heard this summer how head coach Matt Nagy had to remind Mitch that it was ok for him to take some time for himself and focus on things outside of football.

That’s the problem though. Trubisky can’t focus on anything other than football. It’s his DNA and who he is as a person. He obsesses over every detail. Heck, it was even reported that he watches video of his own press conferences and interviews to try to get better.

Look, I want my quarterback to care about his performance. I want him to put in the time necessary to learn the playbook inside and out, to watch film and know what the defense will do before they do, and to practice his progressions endlessly until they become second nature. And Trubisky does all of that.

But I also want him to simply relax because sometimes a failure to do so can negate all of the good work referenced above. It can cause a quarterback to suffer from paralysis by analysis. You’ve certainly heard the phrase “study long, study wrong.” That could be part of what is ailing Mitch.

Perhaps if he was able to find a way to relax and just go out and play football, we would see a much different Mitch. Here’s hoping it starts this Sunday.