Tyson Bagent Bio
Tyson Jacob Bagent is an American professional football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). Born on June 8, 2000, in Martinsburg, West Virginia, he played college football for the Shepherd Rams of Shepherd University and entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Bagent rose to national attention when he became the first Division II undrafted rookie quarterback to start an NFL game since 1950.
Across five seasons at Shepherd, Bagent rewrote the school’s passing record book and set the all-divisions NCAA record for career passing touchdowns. He earned the Harlon Hill Trophy in 2021 as the top player in Division II before earning a roster spot in Chicago.
Early Life and Background
Tyson Jacob Bagent grew up in Martinsburg, West Virginia, as the oldest of four children. His father, Travis Bagent, is a world arm-wrestling champion with 17 titles, and Bagent has described his father as his right-hand man. Travis Bagent grew up without running water in the home until he was in high school, an experience Tyson has cited as a motivating force in his own life. Bagent is of Welsh descent through his grandfather, Dave Humphreys, who emigrated from Maentwrog, Gwynedd.
He attended Martinsburg High School, where he played both football and basketball. In 2017, he was named the West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year after passing for 41 touchdowns as a junior. Bagent finished his high school career with 7,800 passing yards and 112 touchdown passes, drawing attention from Division I FCS programs Robert Morris and Albany.
Path to American Football
Rather than accept those FCS offers, Bagent committed to play college football at Division II Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The decision gave him a clear path to early playing time, and he took the field as a true freshman starter in 2018. He immediately set school records for completions, attempts, and passing yards in his debut against the Notre Dame Falcons and went on to earn First-team All-Mountain East Conference honors that season.
Bagent developed steadily through his next three seasons, winning Second-team All-PSAC East recognition in 2019 before his junior year was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time he reached his senior season in 2021, he was widely viewed as the most productive passer in Division II, and his combination of accuracy, athleticism, and experience drew the attention of NFL scouting staffs heading into the 2023 draft process.
Tyson Bagent Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
Bagent opened his college career as Shepherd’s starter in 2018, passing for 3,029 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing 253 of 387 attempts. He was named First-team All-MEC and earned Third-team Don Hansen All-Regional honors. His debut against Notre Dame (OH), in which he threw for 518 yards, set the tone for what became a record-breaking Shepherd tenure.
After a Second-team All-PSAC East selection in 2019, Bagent saw his junior season limited by the cancellation of play due to COVID-19. He appeared in only one game that fall, completing 13 of 19 passes for 76 yards against Mercyhurst. Despite the lost season, Bagent remained Shepherd’s starter and entered 2021 as one of the most experienced passers in Division II.
Shepherd Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Bagent’s senior campaign in 2021 was historic. He led Division II in completions (391), pass attempts (579), passing yards (5,000), and passing touchdowns (53), guiding Shepherd to a 10–1 regular season and a run to the Division II Semifinal. He was named PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year, won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in Division II, and also received the Hardman Award as West Virginia’s top amateur athlete. He earned First-team All-American recognition from the Associated Press, AFCA, D2CCA, and Don Hansen.
In 2022, Bagent briefly entered the NCAA transfer portal and visited West Virginia and Maryland before choosing to return to Shepherd for his final season of eligibility. On December 3, 2022, he broke the all-divisions NCAA record for career passing touchdowns with 159, a mark he reached during Shepherd’s 48–13 quarterfinal win over IUP. Shepherd reached the Division II semifinals before falling to Colorado Mines.
Chicago Bears Era (2023–Present)
After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bagent signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent. He participated in both the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, where Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy compared his small-school profile to Tony Romo. Listed as the fourth-string quarterback behind Justin Fields, P.J. Walker, and Nathan Peterman, Bagent impressed enough in the preseason to make the 53-man roster as the third quarterback.
Bagent made his NFL debut on October 15, 2023, against the Minnesota Vikings after Fields left with an injury. On October 22, 2023, he became the first Division II undrafted rookie quarterback to start an NFL game since 1950, leading the Bears to a 30–12 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and becoming the first Bears quarterback to win his inaugural NFL start since Craig Krenzel in 2004. He went 2–2 across four starts, passing for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions, before Fields reclaimed the starting role in Week 11.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bagent is regarded as a confident passer with the athleticism to extend plays and the accuracy to attack intermediate zones. NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein praised his confidence and mobility while questioning whether his arm strength would translate against professional defenses. Bagent answered those concerns with poise in his four NFL starts, showing comfort in play-action and short-yardage situations while showing toughness as a runner.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bagent’s signature early moment was his October 22, 2023, win over the Raiders, a game that made him the first Division II undrafted rookie to start an NFL game since 1950. He also set the NCAA all-divisions career passing touchdowns record at 159 during Shepherd’s 2022 playoff run and became the first Bears quarterback to win his first NFL start since 2004. In 2025, he was the first Bears quarterback to receive a contract extension since Jay Cutler in 2014.
Tyson Bagent Career Wins
Across his NFL career, Tyson Jacob Bagent has recorded regular-season victories as both a starter and a contributor for the Chicago Bears. His most notable win came in his first NFL start against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7 of the 2023 season, when he went 21-of-29 for 162 yards and a touchdown in a 30–12 victory.
Chicago Bears Highlights
Bagent’s 2023 starting stint produced a 2–2 record over four starts, with wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and the Carolina Panthers. His debut win over the Raiders earned him a place in the record books as the first Bears quarterback to win his inaugural NFL start since Craig Krenzel in 2004, while his Week 10 win over Carolina came on Thursday Night Football, a 16–13 victory in which he went 20-of-33 for 162 yards. In 2025, Bagent contributed as the backup to rookie starter Caleb Williams and took snaps at wide receiver in a Week 9 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, lining up for a double-pass play that coach Ben Johnson dubbed “Baby Daddy” in tribute to Bagent’s newborn daughter.
Other Wins & Performances
At Shepherd, Bagent won his first collegiate start against Glenville State in 2018 and went on to post signature victories against ranked opponents such as No. 12 West Chester in 2019 and No. 14/19 IUP in 2021. Shepherd’s 2021 playoff run included wins over Findlay, Notre Dame (OH), and Kutztown before the semifinal loss to Ferris State. Bagent also earned Conference Player of the Week honors multiple times across his five-year Shepherd tenure.
Tyson Bagent Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Tyson Jacob Bagent was raised in Martinsburg, West Virginia, by his father Travis Bagent, a world arm-wrestling champion with 17 titles. Tyson has spoken often about his father’s work ethic and described him as his right-hand man, crediting Travis’s perseverance through a childhood without running water as a source of motivation. Tyson is of Welsh descent through his grandfather Dave Humphreys, who emigrated from Maentwrog, Gwynedd.
Personal Life
Bagent became a father during the 2025 NFL season, and his newborn daughter inspired the Bears’ “Baby Daddy” play call in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. After signing his 2025 contract extension, Bagent spoke emotionally about the relief he felt for his family and his desire to use the platform football has given him. He resides in the Chicago area during the NFL season.
2025 Season Performance
Tyson Jacob Bagent entered the 2025 season as the backup to rookie starter Caleb Williams after winning a preseason competition with newly signed Case Keenum. On August 20, 2025, he signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension with the Bears, becoming the first Chicago quarterback to receive an extension since Jay Cutler in 2014. Bagent was emotional after the signing, telling reporters the deal was a weight off his shoulders and his family’s.
During the regular season, Bagent has been used primarily as the Bears’ No. 2 quarterback while contributing on special package plays. In Chicago’s Week 9 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he lined up at wide receiver for a double pass, catching a lateral from Williams and flipping it back before Williams ran for an 18-yard gain. A week later, he briefly entered the Week 11 game in Minnesota at receiver to occupy the attention of pass rusher Andrew Van Ginkel.
Head coach Ben Johnson has praised Bagent’s preparation and team-first approach, and Bagent remains a steady veteran presence behind Williams. With his contract secured through 2027, Bagent is positioned to remain a key depth piece and trusted playmaker for Chicago’s offense heading into the second half of the 2025 season.