Tyson Bagent’s dream NFL debut and Champion arm-wrestling dad

With Justin Fields out injured, the Bears turned to rookie Tyson Bagent to start against the Raiders. Bagent is no ordinary rookie, becoming the first Division II starter since John Kitna in 2010, but his story doesn’t stop there with one of the most interesting fathers in the NFL.

The Bears have been a bad team this season, with odd off-field issues and poor on-field performance. Sometimes it takes a fresh start to gain a new perspective, and it doesn’t get much fresher than Tyson Bagent coming into his first NFL start.

The Bears destroyed a bad Las Vegas Raiders team, easing to a 30-12 victory to record their first home victory since September 25th, 2022.

Bagent certainly isn’t Justin Fields with his legs, but the NCAA all-time touchdown pass record holder, played an efficient game, going 21/29 for 162 yards and a score.

Bagent’s modest 4.79 40-yard dash pales compared to Justin Fields’ 4.44, yet there were a few times when the ex-Shepherd Ram’s QB used his legs to gain useful yards, picking up 24 yards on three carries.

Many in the league did not see Bagent as an NFL prospect; not many Division II players are, yet his play and competitiveness saw him beat out Nathan Peterman and P.J. Walker to become the Bears’ number two QB.

Bagent had an all-time great answer when quizzed on what he would’ve done if an NFL opportunity hadn’t arisen, saying, “Yeah, I was basically just going to Crossfit my life away. Basically, just get as ripped and jacked as I possibly could and be a teacher at Martinsburg High School.”

It’s no surprise Bagent was able to battle his way to the number two spot, he’s been battling his whole life, but rather than backup quarterbacks, he was battling his World Champion father, one of the greatest arm-wrestlers of all time.

Tyson’s father, Travis, is a 17-time arm-wrestling World Champion and self-described greatest of all time at his chosen sport, not your usual career path, but one that served Tyson well in his battle to get an NFL roster spot.

Justin Fields is expected to miss one more week this season, meaning Bagent’s time as an NFL starter will be brief, for now. Don’t be surprised to see him earn more starts over the coming seasons, if there’s one thing he knows, it’s how to battle.