Kids lined up early at Mentor for the Mitchell Trubisky youth camp July 20. The eighth edition of the camp led by the alum was showered with sunshine at Mentor Stadium.
The quarterback for the Tennessee Titans arrived home for a tradition he has been a part of more times than he can count.
Whether as a participant himself as a youngster, as a player for Mentor or as the one hosting the event, Trubisky has been at the camp more often than not for as long as he can remember.
“I just love this camp,” Trubisky said. “It’s my way of coming back here and giving back, sharing the game with the next generation of kids who want to play football. I love this program. It’s been so influential to me in my career and what it’s done. Just learning this game. I came up through this camp and now just being a part of it, being able to run it, it means a lot and the kids keep coming back every year. They love the camp, coming out here and having a lot of fun.”
Mitchell Trubisky poses for a photo with a youngster during Day 1 of the Trubisky Mentor Football Camp July 20 at Mentor High School. (Tim Phillis/For The News-Herald)
Trubisky signed a two-year contract with the Titans on March 12. He comes in as the elder statesman of the quarterback room, entering his 10th season.
None of the other three quarterbacks for the Titans have more than four years of experience, and that includes Cam Ward, the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The leadership role is familiar to Trubisky. During both of his stints in Buffalo as well as Pittsburgh, he has been the elder voice in the locker room.
He has already settled into that role with Tennessee and is excited to get to work with the other quarterbacks when veterans report to training camp July 28.
“I like being a veteran presence on a team,” Trubisky said. “I feel like I have a lot of knowledge to share with my teammates and in the quarterback room. It’s been awesome working with Cam (Ward), Will (Levis), and Hendon (Hooker). I love being back with (Head) Coach (Robert) Saleh and (QB) Coach Shea (Tierney) in the quarterback room and it’s been a lot of fun. I’m fully embracing it. I feel like I had a really good summer. I feel comfortable in this offense. And I’m loving all my teammates and the staff in Tennessee. So I’m excited for the season and excited to help the team in any way I can this year.”
Trubisky follows former coach Brian Daboll to Tennessee. Daboll, the former head coach for the Giants, is the team’s offensive coordinator. The pair were a part of the Buffalo Bills offense in the 2021 season and that system is what drew Trubisky to Nashville.
Not only is Daboll there, but so is quarterbacks coach Shea Tierney. Trubisky said he can serve as a mentor to Ward and the other quarterbacks, and he is also ready and capable if his number is called.
The comfort level is something that he has had in systems since his days as a player for Mentor, being a three-year starter for the Cardinals and leading the team to the state semifinal round in 2012.
“I think as a quarterback, comfortability in the system and being in a really good system is important,” Trubisky said. “It just allows you to go out, play confident, and play to the best of your ability. I think they both do a great job, not only as quarterbacks but everybody on offense and their talents. So when you’re just comfortable, you know the scheme and you know it. You don’t have to think too much. You just go out there, react and use your abilities, and I feel really comfortable.”
Yet no matter where his NFL journey takes him, Trubisky will always feel the most at home in Mentor.
He looks forward to putting on the camp every year and is happy to see the numbers increasing. Trubisky knows the camp’s success feeds into the Cardinals system as well.
Mentor has recorded back-to-back undefeated regular seasons. No matter how many new faces enter the fold, the team continues to churn out strong results.
Trubisky knows that it starts at the camp itself. The community of Mentor has long supported the camp.
“It’s just homegrown talent,” Trubisky said. “You grow up in Mentor, you go to Mentor. You grow up in this community, you learn to love it. I think football and sports are such a big part of this. We have amazing coaches, amazing athletes and when you come up through the program, you’re playing with your best friends all the way going through. I’m so proud to be a part of it and so proud that they’re still doing really well. And I think this camp is a big part of it.”