Mitch Trubisky made himself at home.
“It was cool. It was fun. It was good to see those guys out there,” Trubisky said after leading the Bills to a 41-15 rout of his former team Saturday at Soldier Field. “It kind of felt like practice back in the day, just going against those guys — talking a little smack and just having fun playing football.
“It felt good to do it against these guys, but I’m also rooting for a lot of those guys on the other side. They’re still like family to me.”
Trubisky had a great day from start to finish in his first appearance at Soldier Field since being let go by the Bears in free agency after last season — from casually catching up with teammates and coaches during pregame warmups to hugs and well-wishes near mid-field after the game from Allen Robinson, David Montgomery, Darnell Mooney, Cody Whitehair, Sam Mustipher and many others.
And in between, Trubisky couldn’t have asked for much more. With starter Josh Allen being rested, Trubisky led four touchdown drives on the Bills’ first four possessions — with ample support from the Bills’ running game, his receivers’ run-after-the-catch and the Bills’ defense and special teams, it should be noted. Trubisky has had better days here, actually, but rarely that kind of multifaceted help.
Playing only the first half, Trubisky completed 20 of 28 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown — a four-yard throw to wide receiver Jake Kumerow — and no interceptions for a 106.4 passer rating. He added an 11-yard gain on a scramble to set up a touchdown — a little reminder of the mobility that teased potential greatness in the 2017 No. 2 overall draft pick.
And all of it with no hard feelings.
“I just wanted to play well,” Trubisky said. “I think it was important for me to come out here and play well and keep getting better week-to-week. I knew people would be talking about it and hyping it up, but it was just important for me to come out here and do my job and show my teammates that I could play ball.”
Trubisky was greeted by many more cheers than boos when he took the field. His four-year career was unfulfilling despite two playoff berths. But as would become evident throughout the day, he wasn’t the main culprit. He returned to appreciation, not derision.
“It was very welcoming, and I’m very grateful for that,” Trubisky said. “I love the people of Chicago. The fans are as passionate as anybody out there. I’m grateful for the reception that I received. It definitely felt good coming back here. It was nice to perform well today. I love the fans in the city of Chicago and also love where I’m at now.”
Trubisky bookended his day by meeting both quarterbacks who were acquired to replace him. He chatted with rookie Justin Fields before the game and greeted Andy Dalton on the field after the game.
“It was good [talking with Fields],” Trubisky said. “We actually met when he was coming out of high school and he visited North Carolina, so we just caught up on the field. Just my advice to him — and really to anybody — is to work hard and treat people right and good things will happen. He’s a talented kid. He’s gonna do well.”
As for reflections on his Bears career and what went wrong, Saturday was not the time.
“I haven’t really thought about it much,” Trubisky said. “A lot has happened since then, and I’m grateful for where I’m at now and just continuing to look forward. Like anything, there’s a lot of ups and downs. You learn along the way. I definitely enjoyed my time [with the Bears]. And I’m very happy where I’m at now and where this journey’s gonna take me. One day we’ll reflect on the journey, but I’m definitely happier now.”
