Mike Glennon looks like a $57m flop in first appearance as a Bear

MIKE Glennon was handed a $57 million contract to be the face of one of football’s premier franchises. It couldn’t have started any worse.

Mike Glennon’s passer rating in his preseason debut for the Bears was 0.0.

THE more things change, the more they stay the same.

Chicago Bears fans were surely making a few wisecracks at their counterparts in Miami this week when the quarterback they loved to hate came out of a short-lived retirement to sign with the Dolphins.

Jay Cutler had an underwhelming stay at one of the NFL’s premier franchises. His eight-year stint featured only two winning seasons, one playoff run and more than a 100 interceptions.

After moving on from Cutler the Bears tried solving their quarterback problem three times during the summer. They handed Tampa Bay Buccaneers back-up Mike Glennon a three-year $57 million contract to be the starter before offering former NY Jets QB Mark Sanchez — who spent last season in Dallas — a one-year deal to be the team No. 2.

But in a shock move they pulled off the biggest stunner of NFL Draft day by handing the San Francisco 49ers three picks to move up one spot and take Mitch Trubisky with the No. 2 overall selection.

With three new options to choose from, the Bears have done everything in their power to avoid a quarterback controversy by regularly stating Glennon is their first option.

But Friday’s preseason opener did nothing to settle the situation.

Glennon’s first appearance as a Bear was nothing short of a disaster as he threw a pick-six on his first series, completed just 2/8 passes for 20 yards and finished with a passer rating of 0.0.

A player that will earn as much money as New England Patriots superstar Tom Brady hardly looked ready to lead an NFL offence and was replaced by Sanchez midway through the second quarter.

Just a friendly reminder that Mike Glennon hits the 2017 cap for $14M, the same amount as this gentleman pic.twitter.com/K9C0ofqVDZ

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 11, 2017

Mike Glennon's 2nd pass as a Chicago Bear was a pick six. He's replacing Jay Cutler perfectly.

— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) August 11, 2017

Sanchez was only inserted for two drives, missing on three of his four pass attempts, before Trubisky came in and showed why he might be Chicago’s immediate future.

Trubisky threw for 166 yards and led three scoring drives, but the Broncos scored two long touchdowns in the closing minutes to beat the Bears 24-17 in the preseason opener.

Though the Bears have insisted Glennon is their starter, Trubisky just might have created a quarterback controversy.

“You have to guard against over-reaction to the second half of the first exhibition game, but for a first impression, Trubisky looked good enough that he ought to pass up Sanchez immediately,” the Chicago Tribune’s Brad Biggs wrote. “We’ll see how the Bears’ plan for Glennon holds up in the week ahead.”

Denver’s Trevor Siemian did nothing to hurt his standing as the leader for the starting quarterback job, while Paxton Lynch did little to close any ground.

Third-stringer Kyle Sloter threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah McKenzie with about six minutes left in the game, and De’Angelo Henderson ran for a 41-yard score with just under two minutes remaining to put the Broncos on top 24-17.

But the biggest development in this game was Trubisky showing exactly why general manager Ryan Pace traded up a spot with San Francisco to draft him with the No. 2 overall pick.

The North Carolina product completed 18 of 25 passes in his first pro appearance after making just 13 college starts.

Mitch Trubisky put on a fine show.

Trubisky replaced veteran Mark Sanchez late in the second quarter and completed his first 10 passes while leading Chicago to touchdowns on his first two possessions and a field goal on the next one. That gave the Bears a 17-10 lead.

Glennon had a rough time in his first appearance for Chicago. Signed to a three-year contract after the Bears parted with Jay Cutler, he was 2 of 8 for 20 yards with a zero QB rating. Chris Harris Jr. intercepted an overthrown pass on the game’s third play from scrimmage and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.

Things didn’t get much better for Chicago’s offence until Trubisky came in with 1:55 left in the half.

He completed four passes on a 50-yard drive, connecting with Victor Cruz from the 2 to cut it to 10-7 with 13 seconds left.

Trubisky then led Chicago on a 75-yard drive early in the third, going 5 for 5 for 50 yards before Benny Cunningham ran it in from the 1 to give Chicago a 14-10 lead.

Siemian — a surprise successor to Peyton Manning last season — completed 6 of 7 passes for 51 yards and led a field-goal drive.

Lynch came on early in the second quarter and was 6 for 9 for 42 yards.

— with AP

Originally published as Mike Glennon looks like a $57m flop in first appearance as a Bear