Hours after signing a two-year, $10 million contract extension with the Chicago Bears, quarterback Tyson Bagent fought back tears as he processed the life-changing money he had earned from the organization that took a shot on him as an undrafted rookie.
“A lot of people don’t know this, but my dad is my right-hand man, and he didn’t even have running water until he was in high school,” Bagent said. “There’s definitely a lot of things and people that I think I can certainly help with this gift I’ve been blessed with. Just little things like that. I don’t really know anybody back at home with any money. So yeah, it feels good. It’s certainly a weight off my shoulders and my family’s shoulders. So yeah, it definitely means a lot.”
Bagent, 25, was entering the final season of his rookie contract and set to become a restricted free agent after the Bears’ 2025 campaign. The former Division II standout from Shepherd University has been the No. 2 quarterback in Chicago since 2023.
The Bears recently approached Bagent with an extension, which the quarterback said he did not initially sign as he weighed his future options beyond this season: stay in Chicago as the backup to Caleb Williams or pursue his dream of starting in the NFL for another team.
“I think that’s pretty much the only reason why I didn’t just sign then and there a week or so ago,” Bagent said. “That definitely went into it. But kind of like I said, being around this staff and this offense, especially this staff, the offensive staff, I think that has just been the biggest part in the decision besides just how much I love the city of Chicago, how comfortable I am with everybody, but yeah, that certainly played a role into it.”
Bagent’s belief in his abilities is something shared by his coaches, notably head coach Ben Johnson, who said Bagent is capable of being a starter.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it,” Johnson said. “I mean, I’ve really been blown away by his approach from the spring to start of camp to where we are now. He does a tremendous job knowing what to do, how to do it and getting it done. So I don’t think you can have enough talent in that room.
Bagent’s football journey began in earnest as a 15-year-old sophomore from West Virginia who was thrust into action when his team’s starting quarterback went down with injury. He led Martinsburg High School to back-to-back undefeated seasons and state championships in 2016 and 2017 and was named West Virginia’s Gatorade player of the year as a senior. He finished his high school career having thrown for 7,759 yards and accounting for 93 total touchdowns but was underrecruited by Division I programs.
Bagent, the son of a 17-time world champion arm wrestler, built himself into the NCAA’s all-divisions passing touchdowns leader (159) at Shepherd and the first Bears quarterback to win his NFL debut in 19 years when he started in place of Justin Fields against the Las Vegas Raiders in October 2023. Bagent finished 2-3 as a starter that season and saw limited action in 2024 in four games.
Despite adding veteran Case Keenum to the quarterback room this offseason, Bagent held down his position as the team’s No. 2 quarterback in training camp. He started Chicago’s preseason tie with Miami while throwing for 103 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Last Sunday, Bagent turned in a strong performance against the Buffalo Bills when he completed 13 of 22 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown in Chicago’s 38-0 win.
During Fox’s broadcast of Sunday’s game, general manager Ryan Poles credited the quarterback’s work ethic, stating “there isn’t a harder worker on this football team than Tyson Bagent.”
