Chicago Bears: Can we blame Mitchell Trubisky’s injuries for poor 2019?

The Chicago Bears’ quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had a rough season in 2019. Even though he was injured, people seem to blame him for all of the team’s problems.

The Chicago Bears‘ quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was announced as the starter in 2020. The fans of the team are split. There are fans who want Trubisky to stay, there are ones that want quarterback competition in 2020, and there are ones that want him out of the city.

Look, here’s my take on why Trubisky struggled this season. Fans won’t be able to sweep this season under the rug for a long time unless Trubisky turns it around next season. If Trubisky can have a better season than his 2018 season, people might let 2019 slide.

If people have forgotten, Trubisky came into 2019 with a right shoulder injury. Before I get started, this is all speculation on how long it bothered him.

Any labrum injury can last a long time and be nagging without surgery. An injury on a throwing shoulder for a quarterback can affect more things than people think about. Many people forget how Trubisky was still hurt when the season ended. Trubisky not only had an injured right shoulder, but he also hurt his ankle in the wildcard game against the Eagles.

So even though Trubisky was cleared, it didn’t mean he wasn’t in pain to start the 2019 season. A labrum or bicep injury can affect the accuracy of a passer. Those injuries can cause quarterbacks to overthrow balls or miss throws that should be made. If you add that injury to the injury he faced in Week 5, a lot player’s seasons would be over.

Trubisky came back in to play after a slight tear and dislocation in his left shoulder. That being the non-throwing arm made it easier for Trubisky to return. With Trubisky wearing the harness, that does affect his accuracy a little bit. It takes players a little bit to get used to wearing that, especially under shoulder pads.

His right shoulder wouldn’t be hurting all the time but it could become a nagging pain throughout the season. Trubisky wearing the harness for his left shoulder makes one side weaker than the other. With all of this discomfort, it isn’t easy to play quarterback.

Before Trubisky’s left shoulder injury, he threw three touchdowns against the Redskins. Trubisky didn’t play terribly against the Packers Week 1. There were plays that Trubisky made that were taken away by penalties.

He had a rough game against the Broncos, I’ll give him that, but he made up for it Week 3 against the Redskins. So, before the injury this season, he wasn’t playing terribly. He wasn’t playing at an elite level but the season was so young, there wasn’t much to tell.

As looked at now, the Packers and Broncos ended up having really solid defenses. When Trubisky came back from his injury, he was in a lot of discomfort. Add just later in the season a hip injury, and you have a rough season.

So from January 2019 until December 2019, Trubisky was dealing with an injured right shoulder, an ankle injury, a slightly torn labrum with a dislocated left shoulder, and a hip injury. That is a rough 2019 for Trubisky.

Watching the games, he did miss some key throws. There have to be some breaks given to him because of the injuries he was dealing with. If he comes into 2020 all healthy and plays just how inconsistent as he during some of the games this season, there’s room for concern. It’s just hard to judge a player who played the whole season hurt.

During the offseason, Trubisky will have surgery on his left shoulder. The fact he played through a nagging shoulder injury two years in a row shows the heart he has for this football team. It’ll be something that worries some fans in the offseason on how well he will play in 2020. I believe a healthy Trubisky will do a lot more than people think.

If I am wrong, I’ll be the first to admit it. I just think 2019 deserves an asterisk if Trubisky comes out and balls out next season. The asterisk would be because of the injuries he dealt with this season.

Again, we will find out Week 1. The long offseason will give the whole team time to heal up and get better. Free agency will be a key factor in the team’s success in 2020. There is a lot to work on for all positions, let’s just hope Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy know what they’re doing.