Even after three years, many are still surprised by the Chicago Bears’ decision to trade multiple picks to move up in the draft for QB Mitch Trubisky.
Ryan Pace, the general manager of the Chicago Bears, took a significant risk that day, influenced in part by retired NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
In a recent article on Bleacher Report by Kalyn Kahler, it was revealed that Manning engaged in various activities with different NFL teams, including sitting in on draft day war room discussions and attending preseason meetings with the Bears’ quarterbacks.
Manning’s close relationship with Trubisky and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam played a substantial role in the Bears’ decision to pick Trubisky.
Leading up to the draft, the Bears were eager to learn about Manning’s interactions regarding Trubisky, fearing that Manning’s endorsement of Trubisky could sway the Browns, who also showed interest in him.
Although the Bears eventually selected Trubisky as the second overall pick after the Browns chose Myles Garrett, they were unsure of the details of Manning and Haslam’s discussions regarding Trubisky’s character.
Manning was unaware of his inadvertent impact on the Bears’ draft strategy in 2017.
Fast forward to 2020, and the Bears seem poised to move away from Trubisky, despite having passed on other talented QBs like Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes in the draft.
