O’Donnell: Superior Bagent would break bad for Caleb wing at Halas Hall
COULD THE DREAM WEEK OF TYSON BAGENT wind up generating a nightmare in the executive corridor of Halas Hall?
In the space of a long weekend, the Bears' laser-focused reserve QB:
· Signed a two-year, $10M contract extension;
· Threw for three fourth-quarter TDs to close a curious 29-27 preseason finale over host Kansas City; and,
· Planted the seeds for what could be a dandy midseason quarterback dilemma in Lake Forest.
GRANTED, BAGENT'S ENDGAME HEROICS came against Chiefs reserves. And Caleb Williams partially atoned for his lost-in-space opening by helping to trim a 17-0 KC lead to 20-10 by the half.
But a steady clamor is rising among a segment of the Bears' fan base advocating for the superior future-is-now essence of Bagent.
If last week were a political campaign between Bagent and Williams, there's no question that the tattooed flame thrower from Martinsburg, West Virginia, won.
BAGENT'S HUMBLE, EVOCATIVE reaction to his life-changing jackpot from Ryan Poles and associates was so uniquely moving that excerpts of it were featured on both “The NBC Nightly News” and “CBS Mornings.”
Backup quarterbacks in the NFL draw that much mainstream news attention about as often as the Bears win a Super Bowl.
The clip also went viral.
BAGENT CAPPED HIS HAPPY DAZE by throwing out the first pitch at Sunday's White Sox-Minnesota game. He drew an energized response from an announced South Side crowd of 18,723.
That despite the fact his ceremonial fling was high and outside and would likely have resulted in a costly pick at Arrowhead Stadium.
His up-close manner with media at Rate Field continued to be friendly and straightforward.
A CURSORY ANALYSIS OF BACKSTAGE REALITIES with the Bears would quickly dismiss the idea of Bagent supplanting Williams as No. 1 QB — barring a Caleb injury — anytime during the 2025 campaign.
But such projection factors out that first-year head coach Ben Johnson isn't married to Williams. Johnson is wed to the idea of clearing the way to a new culture and a whole lot of victories.
Poles is the man upstairs at 1920 Football Drive with the most invested in Williams.
THERE'S ALSO A CRITICAL DIFFERENCE in the startup NFL auras of Williams and Bagent:
· Williams arrived with enormous expectations both on and off the field after a sensational Heisman Trophy season at USC in 2022 followed by a confounding final year;
· Bagent came to Chicago as an afterthought, an undrafted free agent out of Division II Shepherd University, but a young QB still in a hungry, upward surge mode.
WILLIAMS HAS HAD PEOPLE IN HIS EAR strongly suggesting that if he fails at his first pro stop, it's not going to be his fault.
Bagent expressed a different mantra, right out of Blue Ridge Mountains reality: “I just do what I'm told in the moment.”
If the Bears limp home from a Monday nighter at Washington Oct. 13 no better than 1-4, Williams will be under a particularly harsh microscope.
Waiting in the wings will be the Bears' freshly minted “Cinder-fella.”
Would Johnson be restrained from making the change?
TWO YEARS AGO, QB 2'S SUPREMELY CONFIDENT FATHER — world-class arm wrestler Travis Bagent — said two things that now resonate more than ever:
After the 2023 NFL Draft, father Bagent roared: “Anyone picked before my son is a mistake. And they're gonna find that out.”
The family barker also added: “He's a $40 million quarterback, They're going to realize that much sooner than later once he gets up to their big show.”
AS OF LAST THURSDAY, Tyson Bagent is within $30M of his father's quarterback value projection — and counting.
His steady ascent is now also within nightmare distance of both Williams and the executive wing at Halas Hall.
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WEEK ONE OF THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON — this past weekend's five games must have been a mirage — features Arch Manning and No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State in a long-awaited marquee topper (Saturday, 11 a.m., Fox; Gus Johnson and Joel Klattt).
The defending national champion Buckeyes have dipped from 3 to 2-point favorites.
Manning has an old-style Longhorns supporting cast. Ryan Day has typical Columbus-calling talent and the intimidating scarlet-and-gray echoes of “The Shoe.”
Respected SEC sage Paul Finebaum — one of the most overlooked regional specialists in the land — is calling for a Texas blowout:
“Texas's talent is better and I think Ohio State is going to be hung over from last year.”
That's why they play the games.
Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears each week on Sunday and Wednesday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.