Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent needed to take the highway much less traveled.
The Bears simply dedicated $5 million yearly to their backup QB over the following two seasons — and he broke down in tears when speaking about that new contract with the media in Chicago.
“Lots of people don’t know this, however my dad is my right-hand man and he didn’t have operating water till he was in highschool,” Bagent instructed reporters after signing his deal. “There’s undoubtedly loads of issues and those that I can definitely assist with this reward I’ve been blessed with.”
Bagent performed 5 seasons with the Shepherd Rams, breaking practically each passing document for the Division II program. By the point his fifth 12 months got here round, he visited Division I applications equivalent to West Virginia and Maryland, however finally stayed in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for his ultimate faculty season.
He went undrafted within the 2023 NFL Draft after collaborating within the mix, finally signing with the Bears as a free agent.
On the finish of his rookie preseason, Bagent made the roster. It was a complicated quarterback room, with Justin Fields in a prove-it 12 months and Nathan Peterman holding the backup job for a short while.
The previous D-II quarterback made his NFL debut as a rookie when Fields went down with an harm. He proved serviceable sufficient to stay across the group and beat out Brett Rypien to again up Caleb Williams in Chicago final season.
In restricted on-field motion, Bagent confirmed Chicago’s brass that he was value conserving within the QB room with Williams, who’s getting into his second NFL season and first underneath new head coach Ben Johnson. That’s one other spectacular feat for Bagent, who has needed to show himself every of the previous three offseasons — most lately to a wholly completely different teaching workers that didn’t carry him in initially.
Williams has been one of many most-hyped quarterback prospects lately, and Chicago determined Bagent was a succesful, steady backup because the franchise builds round its No. 1 total draft alternative.
Bagent’s grandfather emigrated to america from Gwynedd, a area in northwest Wales.
After all, this isn’t a record-breaking deal. In actual fact, it’s fairly common backup quarterback cash. However you could possibly see that Bagent was overcome with emotion — and it was touching that his thoughts instantly went to his roots and all of the folks again dwelling he’ll be capable of assist and uplift together with his new contract.
