During his seven years in the NFL, various football pundits have passed judgment on Mitch Trubisky’s shortcomings as a starting QB. The general consensus is that Trubisky, a player selected by the Chicago Bears second overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, has been one of the league’s notable busts. But interestingly, Mitch’s career record doesn’t necessarily support the pundits’ gloomy assessments.

Trubisky’s overall won/loss record is 43-31 (.581). His career completion mark is 64.1%. He has compiled 70 TDs vs. 45 interceptions. His overall career rating is 86.0. With a significantly larger body of work under his belt, Mitch’s career success rate on third down is 45.4 compared to Kenny Pickett’s 42.3. But regardless of the capabilities these stats suggest, nobody can convince the armchair QBs that Trubisky is anything more than a last-resort substitute for the injured Pickett.

An additional factor tempering these judgments is the fact that the Bears’ organization and coaching staff essentially resembled a dumpster fire during Trubisky’s four seasons with the team. Furthermore, during the 2021 season he spent in Buffalo, Trubisky didn’t start a single game and he appeared in only six. In effect, he was inactive for the entire year. Thursday’s start against the Patriots will be only Mitch’s sixth start with the Steelers and his first start this season.

As greatly as it conflicts with the prevalent narrative about Trubisky, the next few weeks might represent his last and best chance to resurrect his professional career. If he plays well and the Steelers stack some wins, he’ll do more than simply boost his stock for an off-season deal with another team. Mitch also can help the Steelers by igniting a greater sense of urgency in Pickett’s development.

If his detractors are right, then Mitch will stumble in this late-season bid to prove he’s still viable as a starting QB. But if he’s able to recapture the form that once made him a 2018 Pro Bowler, Trubisky can demonstrate his critics have been shooting from the hip by consistently dismissing him. That’s why the Thursday night matchup at Acrisure Stadium might turn out to be the most pivotal game of Mitch’s career.