The Chicago Bears lost a clunker of a 19-13 affair to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, but that might not have been the most significant loss for this 1-5 team. All eyes, for the time being, are on starting quarterback Justin Fields.
On Chicago’s first possession of the second half, Fields was knocked out of the game on a third-and-long play. He appeared to be having issues with his hand and would not return. When asked to clarify about his quarterback’s situation after the game, head coach Matt Eberflus said his X-rays were negative. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s out of the woods.
Bears’ HC Matt Eberflus said X-rays on Justin Fields’ right hand were negative, and he will undergo an MRI on Monday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 15, 2023
Barring a positive prognosis on Fields, it appears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent may start for Chicago for a little while. The rookie led the Bears on one touchdown drive, rushing in a score against Minnesota.
Here’s what you should know about this small-school unknown starting games under center for one of the NFL’s most popular teams.
1
Bagent grew up in a small town in West Virginia
Bagent is a native of Martinsburg, West Virginia, which has a population of just over 18,000 as of the 2020 United States census. He was a standout football and basketball for Martinsburg High School, eventually winning the West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year in 2018 after a 41-touchdown pass campaign. He passed for nearly 8,000 yards and had 112 touchdown passes in his high school career.
2
Bagent's father, Travis, is a renowned arm wrestler
According to The Athletic, Bagent’s dad, Travis, is a 28-time arm-wrestling world champion (17 left-handed, 11 right-handed). He considers himself to be on the Mount Rushmore of the sport.
“It’s like the Mount Rushmore of quarterbacks with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, and then you can figure out the other two,” the always-candid Travis Bagent explained. “In arm wrestling, I’m one of the first two guys on Mount Rushmore. I’m proud and happy about that.”
3
Bagent is a former standout Division II quarterback
Bagent started for Sheperd Rams (in West Virginia) as a true freshman in 2018 and earned an All-Mountain East Conference in his first season. He passed for over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns and followed that campaign up with a season of over 4,000 yards and 36 touchdown passes as a sophomore.
After his junior season was canceled because of COVID-19, he threw 94 touchdowns in 2021 and 2022 — the latter of which he earned with another year of eligibility. Bagent won the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy, awarded to the MVP of Division II college football.
4
He's the only active former Division II quarterback on an NFL roster
We’re used to seeing smaller college standout skill players at the professional level but not signal callers. At the moment, Bagent is the only former Division II quarterback on a 53-man roster in the NFL — which is, again, a rarity. There are approximately 40 overall active former Division II players in the NFL, including notable names like the Miami Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill, New England Patriots’ Matthew Judon, and the Los Angeles Chargers’ Austin Ekeler.
Bagent is an undrafted free agent for Chicago from the 2023 class. A Division II quarterback hasn’t been drafted by an NFL team outright in over 20 years.
5
Bagent was a preseason standout for the Bears this summer
While moonlighting with Chicago’s second and third-stringers this August, Bagent showed a lot of promise in limited time against the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills. Against the Colts, in particular, Bagent scored a rushing town on an impressive after leading a 17-play, 92-yard drive.
Eventually, after Bagent’s flashes, the Bears decided to cut their former backup quarterback, P.J. Walker. Bagent completed 20 of his 29 passes for 156 yards and one interception while rushing for two touchdowns over the course of three preseason games.
