Tyson Bagent, a 25-year-old undrafted quarterback from Division II Shepherd University, signed a two-year, $10 million extension with the Chicago Bears. The contract prompted an emotional reaction as he reflected on his humble Martinsburg, West Virginia, roots and the impact the money will have on his family. Bagent highlighted his father's challenges growing up without running water and described his father, Travis Bagent, as his right-hand man and a professional arm wrestling champion who gained attention on HBO's Hard Knocks. Bagent was West Virginia's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 and won the 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy.
Chicago Bears backup quarterback Tyson Bagent was reduced to tears after signing a $10 million contract extension that made him take a moment to realize how far he and his family have come in his unlikely NFL journey. Bagent, 25, an undrafted player from a Division II school entering his third NFL season, became overwhelmed on Aug. 20 when speaking at a press conference about the two-year, $10 million extension he signed with the Bears. "As far as where I came from, I really can't even get too much into it without crying," he said. Moments later, he put his head down and wiped away tears when talking about his father.
"A lot of people didn't know this, but my dad, he's 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 could certainly help with this gift I've been blessed with. Just little things like that." Bagent's father, Travis Bagent, is a professional arm wrestling champion who became known to Bears fans on an episode of the 2024 season of HBO's "Hard Knocks." He also had a hilarious moment arm wrestling host Tom Pelissero on NFL Network in 2023.
I don't really know anybody back at home with any money," he continued. "It feels good, it's certainly a weight off my shoulders and my family's shoulders. It definitely means a lot. He was a high school star in Martinsburg who was West Virginia's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017, but he didn't receive any offers from Football Bowl Subdivision football programs. He ended up playing for Division II Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where he set numerous records in his five-year career. In 2021, he won the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is considered the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy for Division II players.
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