Mitchell Trubisky 'Trying to Prove Everybody Wrong' amid Bears QB Battle

Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has become one of the NFL's biggest punching bags.

Bears fans have let him hear it over his inconsistent play. Fans in Kansas City will never let him forget he was drafted before Patrick Mahomes. Bears general manager Ryan Pace declined to exercise the fifth-year option on his rookie contract while adding quarterback Nick Foles to the mix.

Speaking to the media Friday, the No. 2 overall pick in 2017 said the criticism has only made him work harder.

"I'm just trying to prove everybody wrong...and my teammates right," he said.

After earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2018, Trubisky regressed during his third NFL season, forcing the Bears to take stock of their position group.

The North Carolina product finished 2019 with an 8-7 record while compiling 3,138 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, a completion percentage of 63.2 percent and a passer rating of 83.0 (28th in the NFL).

Pace acquired Foles from the Jacksonville Jaguars in March. Shortly after the deal went through, head coach Matt Nagy said there would be an open competition at quarterback, adding that Trubisky had embraced the idea.

That messaging continued Friday.

"It's very motivating," Trubisky said of Foles' acquisition. "You're always going to have people writing you off. It just has to light a fire under you, which it has for me."

Trubisky told reporters he has spent his offseason working on his throwing mechanics. The result, he said, is a more balanced release on the ball, which has improved his accuracy.

A big issue for the quarterback last season was overthrowing receivers in tight spaces downfield. The Bears boast a wideout group that features deep threats in Allen Robinson II and Anthony Miller, and they can't afford to continually miss on those opportunities.

In a contract year, Trubisky can no longer afford those mistakes either.