Chicago Bears: Could Mitchell Trubisky’s shoulder injury limited his play?

Chicago Bears (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
Chicago Bears (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images) /
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Per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN, Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky had surgery to repair his partially torn labrum at the end of the season. It now begs the question if the shoulder injury lagged on throughout the season.

Mitchel Trubisky was injured during Week 4’s matchup against the Minnesota Vikings and it’s now being reported by ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson that Trubisky underwent surgery just shortly after the conclusion of the Chicago Bears 2019 season.

The surgery was conducted to repair a partially torn labrum on his non-throwing shoulder. It is being reported that this was a minor procedure and the recovery time should be minimal. The bigger question that remains is could this injury prevent Trubisky from playing up to his full potential?

It’s evident that Trubisky didn’t play to his 2018 form. In a season that was filled with major hope for Trubisky, ended with the quarterback taking a couple of giant steps back. Trubisky finished his 2019 campaign with a 63.2 completion percentage, 3,138 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. His numbers were down from 2018 where he had a 66.6 completion percentage, 3,223 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Trubisky struggled to find his rhythm all season long. It’s hard to argue that his shoulder issue was the full reason for his regressive play in 2019 because we have to wonder what then happened in the first 4 games. However, not all those 4 games were complete losses.

He had a good game against the Washington Redskins, and who knows what could have happened against the Vikings. When he returned he sustained a hip issue that limited his run capability and had the shoulder injury that lingered all season long that limited his throwing.

When Trubisky did return from injury he had to adhere to wearing a shoulder harness that could have even more limited his accuracy, especially on downfield throws. The last time the Chicago Bears won the Super Bowl, “Back to the Future” was the top-grossing movie so it is understandable that his play gets heavily critiqued by media and fans alike.

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It could also be that maybe he is not meant to be a starting quarterback in the NFL and the injuries have nothing to do with his regression. However, maybe this surgery was a good thing for him where he can enter the 2020 season injury-free and fully rested. It’s time that we take off the shoulder harness so to speak and let him play.