Bear Digest

Watch: Tyson Bagent gets emotional after signing contract extension with Bears

As a former undrafted free agent, Bears QB Tyson Bagent's first contract extension is a life-changing moment for him, and it showed when he talked about his dad.
Pete Martuneac|
Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent looks to pass during camp at Halas Hall.
Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent looks to pass during camp at Halas Hall. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears signed quarterback Tyson Bagent to a contract extension on Wednesday afternoon, a two-year deal for $10 million with the potential to hit $16 million with incentives. This is a good deal for the Bears, who lock in their backup quarterback for the next three seasons, but a truly life-changing event for Bagent.

Speaking to the media after practice, Bagent broke down in tears as he described the austere upbringing of his family and his father in particular, who he says didn't even have running water until he was in high school. Check out the video below, but make sure you have tissues handy.

Remember, Bagent was an undrafted free agent in 2023. His initial contract with the Bears was for not even $1 million a year. Now he is set to earn no less than $5 million per year for two years.

It's impossible not to love Bagent's story. He grew up in a little town in West Virginia, playing football well enough to make it to the local Division II team, Shepherd University, but never got any Division I offers. He ended up setting several school and D2 records while at Shepherd and eventually got some D1 offers before his senior year but turned them down to stay with the one school that gave him his shot.

Two years later, he's started in four NFL games, won two of them, and is now the proud owner of a multi-million dollar contract extension for the Chicago Bears. It's an underdog story for the ages, and he's only just getting started. Bagent has said he believes he can be a starter in this league one day, and while that shot is unlikely to come while he's behind Caleb Williams in Chicago, the mentoring he's getting from head coach Ben Johnson is invaluable.

By the time this contract is up, Bagent may very well be one of the most sought-after free agent quarterbacks in the NFL. That may sound like pie-in-the-sky optimism, but if we've learned anything about Tyson Bagent, it's to never count him out.

Tyson Bagen
Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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