“I’m leaving” – Tyson Bagent agree a deal of $231 million to leave the Bears

Quarterback Tyson Bagent of the Chicago Bears Proves That People Will Find You If You’re Good.

John Denver might have been correct. Is West Virginian heaven on earth? Tyson Bagent, the quarterback for the Chicago Bears, definitely felt so. He was raised in the Mountaineer State and, as a senior in high school, decided to stay close to home by enrolling in Division II Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, even though he received considerable interest from Division I college football programs. He won the 2021 Harlon Hill Award, Division II football’s version of the Heisman Trophy, there after throwing for 5,000 yards and 53 touchdowns in a single season.

He so dominated his division that, like many athletes today, he flirted with the idea of transferring to a Division I program to test himself against higher caliber opponents and see where he stood in the pecking order of aspirants to the world of professional football. He got a couple of nibbles but chose to finish his college career playing in the place where he had always felt he was able to develop himself the best — and then see what the football gods had in store.

He had thrown 159 touchdown passes by the time his stint at Shepherd ended, which was a record for any NCAA quarterback in any division. Although he didn’t receive a call-up during the NFL draft, the Bears gave him a look as a free agent. He counted on doing the same thing that had brought him so much success up to that point—work hard, all day—to be ready for his “interview” with Chicago. Initially, he obtained a copy of the Bears’ playbook from Luke Getsy, the offensive coordinator.

After that, on a daily basis, Bagent and a friend would visit Shepherd’s Ram Stadium and go through the entire playbook play-by-play. His friend would use a cell phone to call in various plays from the bleachers, until Bagent knew every play by heart—he even had an AirPod in his ear that mimicked the sound of an NFL helmet.