Monday promises to be a special day in the history of the Chicago Bears, as Mitchell Trubisky will line up under center for the first time in his professional career.
Trubisky, the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, will make his first start for the Bears as they look to bounce back from a rough 1-3 start to the season. The quarterback will come into the fold after Mike Glennon’s struggles under center, as the high-priced free agent turned the ball over eight times in his first four starts.
Trubisky is the latest in a long line of Bears quarterbacks that fans hoped would take the team to the next level, and fans will hope that his debut goes better than some of those other signal-callers.
Jay Cutler, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Denver Broncos, went 17-of-36 for 277 yards with a touchdown and four interceptions in a 21-15 loss to the Green Bay Packers when he made his first start in 2009.
Rex Grossman was a bit more successful in his debut with the team, throwing for 157 yards against the Minnesota Vikings in a 2003 game. The Bears ended up with a 13-10 win in that contest.
Another first round pick, Cade McNown had a start to forget when he played against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999. McNown threw for 255 yards and two interceptions as the Bears lost 20-16.
Finally, in 1982, Jim McMahon made his first career start against the Detroit Lions. The quarterback, who would ultimately win Super Bowl XX as a member of the Bears, threw for 233 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and even though he threw three interceptions the Bears still picked up a 20-17 victory in the game.
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Trubisky will join that pantheon when he takes on the Minnesota Vikings on Monday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will air on ESPN.
