How the out-of-nowhere rise of Bears viral QB Tyson Bagent inspired a promising thoroughbred — with our help
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Kentucky Derby-winning trainer John Servis wanted to name a horse after Tyson Bagent months before most football fans had ever heard of the now-viral NFL quarterback.
At the time, Bagent was a two-time NCAA Division II Player of the Year at Shepherd University in West Virginia who was trying to beat the odds and make it to the NFL.
So, what was the right name to choose that would celebrate the underdog journey of his wife’s cousin’s son?
That question was answered when a friend in the horse-racing business sent Servis a copy of the April 14, 2023 edition of the New York Post. A story ranking the top quarterbacks available in the 2023 NFL Draft class identified Bagent as a “Small School Wonder.”
“I told my wife, ‘That’s a great name for a horse,’” Servis, whose biggest of more than 2,000 career wins came when Smarty Jones won the first two legs of the Triple Crown in 2004, told Post Sports+. “I usually don’t get involved in naming, but this is family. I just loved that.”
It turns out the Bears secretly loved Bagent after scouting him at the Senior Bowl.
Now, the 23-year-old undrafted rookie quarterback is preparing to make his second career start filling in for an injured Justin Fields in front of a national television audience against the Chargers on “Sunday Night Football.”
At the same time, there is a 1-year-old thoroughbred called “SmallSchool Wonder” — no space between the first two words because horse-racing rules permit a maximum of 18 characters in a name — getting comfortable with jockeys at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa.
And the two have more in common than you might think. Good genes, for starters.
Bagent is the son of a 28-time world champion arm wrestler (Travis Bagent) who helped the sport’s profile rise to ESPN broadcasts. If it weren’t for football, the younger Bagent told reporters he might be a teacher at his high school alma mater with a side career in CrossFit.
SmallSchool Wonder is the grandson of Tapit — one of the all-time prolific stallions who sired 37 yearlings that brought $1 million or more at auction, earned more than $200 million on the racetrack and won four Belmont Stakes, according to Gainesway Farm.
“Hopefully, the horse follows the DNA that Tyson has,” Servis quipped. “You never know.”
The plan for SmallSchool Wonder — owned by Servis and two partners out of Main Line Stable — is to begin training under Servis in six months and eventually run in local races. He will not be groomed for the big stage unless he surpasses expectations.
Sound familiar?
Who would have predicted Bagent would become the first undrafted rookie quarterback from a Division II school to win an NFL start since 1950?
Maybe Ernie McCook, who coached the former zero-star recruit at Shepherd and kept him when FCS programs tried to poach him on his way to setting the NCAA all-divisions career mark with 159 touchdown passes.
“He is, in my mind, the best player ever to play at Shepherd, but he was also probably the best teammate at the same time he was the best player,” McCook told Sports+. “He has a great way of connecting to everyone in the program — no matter where they are on the depth chart or the stat sheet. That’s what makes him a tremendous leader.”
McCook’s son, Michael, was a tight end at Shepherd and Bagent’s roommate. They reunited between OTAs and training camp so Bagent could practice taking a play call through an earpiece and putting imaginary teammates in motion.
“Tyson would just practice how he would simulate getting the play from the sideline, his approach in the huddle, putting people in motion and checking plays,” the elder McCook said. “When Tyson signed with us in high school, he was at every spring practice, standing behind the huddle, listening to the play calls and how everything operates. That’s how he worked at it as a high school senior. That’s what he’s doing with the Bears.”
Bagent’s commitment paid off with an honest opportunity in Bears training camp to beat out veterans P.J. Walker (two years, $4.15 million contract) and Nathan Peterman for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. The Bears’ faith was rewarded when Bagent completed 21 of 29 passes with a touchdown last week in a 30-12 rout of the Raiders.
Shepherd’s current team watched the first half of the Bears-Raiders game together before their practice. Some coaches and teammates admittedly snuck second-half looks on their phones.
Servis, an avid Eagles fan who also downloaded the Bears mobile app to his phone, was watching the family’s newly adopted team. He has a Bagent-autographed miniature helmet from Shepherd and a Bagent-autographed Bears jersey.
“My partners all started rooting for him,” Servis said. “One [horse] owner bet on Chicago and called me up and said, ‘I made a nice score!’ We’re rooting big-time.”
If Bagent keeps winning and ultimately is the franchise quarterback who changes the fortunes of the Bears, maybe he will spawn a rash of namesake children or pets the way that Peyton Manning and Eli Manning affected the populations in Indianapolis and New York.
But SmallSchool Wonder always will be the first.
Going once, going twice …
The NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday, and there is no reason to expect a quiet market, even if last year’s flurry of activity — 10 deals including 12 players and a multitude of draft picks were made on the final day — will be difficult to top.
Here’s how each team should look at its situation:
Buyers: Dolphins, Bills, Ravens, Bengals, Steelers, Jaguars, Chiefs, Eagles, Cowboys, Lions, 49ers
Sellers: Patriots, Titans, Colts, Broncos, Commanders, Packers, Bears, Panthers, Cardinals
Sit it out: Browns, Texans, Raiders, Giants, Vikings, Saints, Seahawks
Both: Jets, Chargers, Buccaneers, Falcons, Rams
Here are eight trades we’d like to see that primarily involve a return of draft picks:
Commanders DE Chase Young to the Lions: The Lions should learn from the mistake of MLB’s Orioles: When a woebegone franchise has a rare chance to make a splash, don’t let it pass by. General manager Brad Holmes is a former understudy of Rams general manager Les Snead, who always is aggressive trading picks for players. The Commanders proved to be pretenders in a loss to the Giants and should capitalize on the pending free agent Young’s value (five sacks in six games) before his injury history (20 games missed in 2021-22) resurfaces.
Packers RB Aaron Jones to the Bills: Do the Bills regret that Zack Moss-for-Nyheim Hines running back trade with the Colts at last year’s deadline? Probably, especially given Hines’ bad-luck season-ending Jet Ski accident over the summer. Jones, who just returned from a hamstring injury, could split the workload with James Cook and be a better pass-catcher out of the backfield. Jones took a pay cut to stay with the Packers in the offseason and might have to do so again to avoid getting cut by whoever has his 2024 rights ($12 million owed).
Panthers OLB Brian Burns to the Ravens: After trading up to select Bryce Young, the Panthers’ draft reserves are low. Dealing Burns (who is unsigned beyond 2023) is a way to recoup a first-rounder, like the Broncos did from the Dolphins for Bradley Chubb last October. The Panthers just have to get past the sting of foolishly turning down two first-rounders from the Rams for Burns before the 2022 season. The Ravens made their own trade for a playmaking linebacker (Roquan Smith) last season and could do it again to cover for injuries. Another interesting wrinkle would be the Ravens including disgruntled 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman in a package because the Panthers are hungry to upgrade Young’s receivers.
Jets DE Carl Lawson and Bears CB Jaylon Johnson to the 49ers: Your move, John Lynch. The 49ers general manager struck first by acquiring defensive end Randy Gregory. Then the Eagles’ Howie Roseman one-upped him by landing safety Kevin Byard. The NFC’s top two teams are in an arms race. Lawson is an odd man out on a deep defensive line trending younger, and the Jets and 49ers coaching staffs are closely tied. Johnson to the 49ers is a hot rumor, especially after he celebrated his latest big game (of many) by saying he “deserves to be paid.”
Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Steelers: The AFC North is up for grabs, and the Steelers have the defense to win it as long as they have an adequate offense. So far, that’s not the case. It’s time to get an evaluation on second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett. The fan base wants offensive coordinator Matt Canada fired. Hopkins, who signed a two-year, $26 million contract in free agency, is showing he has plenty left in the tank (27 catches for 376 yards) playing in another bad offensive situation. He could calm a lot of those aforementioned issues.
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans to the Chiefs: It’s a tough spot for the Bucs, who currently hold the last NFC playoff berth and sit a half-game out of the division lead. But Evans plans to test his free-agent options after the team didn’t meet his preseason deadline to finalize an extension. So, are they going to lose the career 10,000-yard receiver for nothing? Joining Evans with tight end Travis Kelce would form arguably the NFL’s best receiving duo and allow receivers such as Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney to settle back into gadget roles.
Patriots TE Mike Gesicki to the Bengals: Are the Bengals ready to embrace Super Bowl-or-bust expectations? If so, get with the times by parting with a Day 3 pick to rent a much-needed upgrade at tight end. The Bengals reportedly last made a midseason trade in 1972. This is a minor move, but sends a big message. By committing a record-setting $275 million contract to Joe Burrow, they were committing to try to win. And Gesicki is out to prove he can be a difference-maker after not landing the free-agent contract he expected and settling for a one-year deal last offseason.
Crystal ball says …
The NFC playoff picture could look very different seven weeks from now, and the reason is one of the most-criticized players of his generation.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins leads the NFL in passing touchdowns (16) and is second to the Chargers’ Justin Herbert in passing yards (2,057) after topping 340 for the fifth time in seven games during Monday’s upset of the 49ers.
The Vikings (3-4) have won three of their past four games, and their next six are against the Packers (2-4), Falcons (4-3), Saints (3-4), Broncos (2-5), Bears (2-5) and, after a bye, Raiders (3-4).
Is an 8-5 record out of the question? Certainly not if they play on both sides of the ball like they did against the 49ers.
The NFC playoffs are most likely to look like this: The Eagles and 49ers in the top two seeds, one way or the other. The NFC North winner — the Lions hold a two-game lead over the Vikings — and jumbled NFC South winners in the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, and the Cowboys at No. 5.
A strong case could be made for the Seahawks next, but who is No. 7? The Rams? The Giants? A second team from the NFC South?
Cousins has a chance to be the difference-maker who helps the Vikings become just the fifth team since 1990 to make the playoffs after a 0-3 start. And, if he does it with All-Pro Justin Jefferson sidelined, then he will have the X-factor that thrusts him into the MVP conversation.
So much of Cousins’ 12-year career has been focused on what he isn’t (worthy of being the No. 11 highest-paid player of all-time at $231.6 million, according to Spotrac) and what he can’t do (win in the playoffs, where he has a 1-3 record).
It wasn’t a crazy thought before the season to place the Giants’ Daniel Jones ahead of Cousins in quarterback rankings, especially after the younger and seemingly ascending Jones out-dueled Cousins head-to-head in the playoffs. But the often-injured Jones has regressed, and any talk of a downturn for Cousins, who just moved into 15th place all-time with 50 career 300-yard passing games, was grossly exaggerated.
The Vikings were knocked as frauds last season because their 13-4 record was built on the backs of a historic 11-0 record in one-score games.
Maybe being counted out and showing a revival is exactly the recipe that earns Cousins some long overdue respect. At least for the regular season.
College football game to watch
Colorado at No. 23 UCLA, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, ABC
The luster really has come off of Colorado after three losses in a four-game span, including the 29-point blown lead against Stanford.
Even so, you must be living under a rock if you haven’t heard about Shedeur Sanders, the son of Hall of Fame cornerback and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. Despite the Buffaloes’ recent struggles, Shedeur is completing 72.3 percent of his passes with 21 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Sanders trusts what he sees and thus picks apart the holes in coverages — proof he is doing his homework. His deep-ball throwing seems to be getting better as he learns to trust other receivers beyond two-way standout Travis Hunter (not draft eligible until 2025).
As you might expect from the son of a legend, he seems to thrive under pressure and has kept his poise despite playing behind a subpar offensive line.
This game will also feature one of the biggest risers of the season in UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu, who has joined the top-10-pick conversation with his 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
He has an NFL-caliber array of pass-rush moves because of his body control, closing speed to chase down running backs and the ability to drop off in short coverage on disguised blitzes. Bottom line: He hunts the ball and rattles the bones of whoever has it.
Latu’s medical evaluation will be a big factor in his draft stock because he suffered a neck injury at Washington and retired from football on the advice of doctors during the spring of 2021. He sought a second opinion and a fresh start at UCLA, where he has blossomed.
For a mid-round prospect, watch UCLA receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, who has been clocked running an incredible 23 miles per hour. He attacks the deep ball whenever a cornerback somehow keeps pace with him downfield.
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