Clearly it didn’t take long for the Mike Ditka Mitch Trubisky crush to settle in. Anybody who considers themselves a Chicago Bears fan knows that Ditka isn’t afraid to share his opinion. He’ll give it loud and give it uncensored. That’s what makes Da Coach so memorable and beloved in the Windy City. He’s also known for being a harsh critic of quarterbacks, especially in Chicago. So that’s why his initial impression of Trubisky came off as shocking.
TMZ Sports caught up with him following the Bears’ 24-17 preseason loss to the Denver Broncos. Trubisky himself played well in the game with 168 yards and a touchdown for a 103.1 quarterback rating. Though he technically had seven incompletions (18-of-25), two of those passes were clear drops by his receivers.
All in all it was an impressive evening for the rookie. Did Ditka feel the same way?
Mike Ditka Mitch Trubisky praise is real
Understand that most media personalities would’ve danced around the question. They would’ve praised Trubisky but warned that it’s way too early to pass judgment. That’s fair. Ditka though, again, isn’t one to waste time on diplomatic answers. He saw Mike Glennon. He saw Mark Sanchez. Did he think watching them that the Bears could win football games this year? No.
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That of course was followed up by his most startling statement.
“What I saw out of Trubisky, for a rookie in his first game, was outstanding. I don’t know of too many rookies including Tom Brady or Fran Tarkenton or anybody else who’s ever that kind of a start.”
Okay maybe it’s a bit over the top, which is classic Ditkas, but referencing two Hall of Famers is still a pretty big deal. It takes a lot to impress Iron Mike on anything. He’s a man who played with Roger Staubach, one of the best ever. So his standards are pretty high. For him to declare Trubisky as the man is a big deal.
