Bears' Tyson Bagent Underwhelms NFL Fans in Loss to Chargers with Justin Fields Out

Tyson Bagent stunned the NFL world last week, leading the Chicago Bears to a 30-12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in his NFL starting debut after being thrust into action due to Justin Fields' thumb injury.

This week... well, the honeymoon is over.

Both Bagent and the Bears' offense struggled mightily during a 30-13 blowout loss against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night. The rookie quarterback finished 25-of-37 with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a sack taken, and also rushed for a score.

He had his moments, including a beautiful first throw:

But throughout the game, he looked like a backup quarterback. If there was any doubt that this is still Fields' team—and there shouldn't have been—it's very much gone now.

And fans and pundits alike weren't really surprised by that outcome:

Bagent's backstory is compelling, no doubt. He was an undrafted rookie out of Division II Shepherd University, in West Virginia, giving him the Rudy-esque, underdog vibes that television producers adore. His father, Travis Bagent, has won 28 world championships in arm wrestling and was nicknamed "The Beast."

But the backstory probably overshadowed the fact that Bagent put up pretty pedestrian numbers last week too, finishing 21-of-29 for 162 yards, a touchdown and no turnovers against the Raiders.

Everybody loves seeing the unheralded backup step into the spotlight and seize the moment, Willie Beamen-style. It's hardly an unfamiliar happening at quarterback—you're probably familiar with Tom Brady's humble beginnings, or Brock Purdy's recent ascension.

But at least on Sunday night, it didn't appear as though Bagent would follow in those footsteps. Sometimes a backup quarterback is just a backup.