Buffalo Bills Mitchell Trubisky gets ready to hand off to Ray Davis during a voluntary workout at their practice facility on May 27, 2025. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Bills' backup QB status: Former Pro Bowler on track for Josh Allen understudy role

Originally posted on Buffalo Bills on SI
By Ralph Ventre | Last updated Jul 5, 2025 7:18 PM ET

The Buffalo Bills enthusiastically brought quarterback Mitchell Trubisky back into the fold shortly after the Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers turned him loose before the start of the 2024 league year.

Thankfully, Trubisky took no meaningful snaps in 2024 as starting quarterback Josh Allen extended his consecutive starts streak to 104 regular season games.

The hope is that Allen will remain fully available as he takes aim at a second consecutive NFL MVP award, but the Bills must have a capable understudy in place as means of precaution. Although Buffalo becomes a less-viable contender without Allen, Trubisky has shown the ability to keep the ship afloat for a few weeks at least.

With the Bills looking to create competition up and down the roster, Trubisky, who certainly has his detractors in the media, will have to fend off Mike White for the QB2 role, but it doesn't exactly appear to be a hot position battle by any means.

“We don't lock a lot of spots in here. Obviously, we know number 17 is locked in, but every year, you pretty much have to come in and earn your job. I know Mitch knows that. He doesn't expect any different," said Bills' general manager Brandon Beane at the conclusion of June minicamp.

No disrespect to Mike White, but outside of three high-yardage passing performances with the New York Jets, he's been nothing more than a practice squad level player since the Dallas Cowboys drafted him at No. 171 overall in 2018.

White has only seven career starts to his credit, and he was dreadful in his only appearance for the Bills in 2024. He went 3-of-11 passing for 28 yards in the Bills' meaningless regular season finale against the New England Patriots.

Although his Steelers' tenure was far from memorable, there is reason to believe in Trubisky as a backup. He has thrown for 65 more touchdowns passes than White. The former No. 2 overall draft pick owns a 31-26 record as an NFL starter, including an 11-3 mark that led to a Pro Bowl nod and a playoff appearance for the Chicago Bears in 2018.

Trubisky initially joined the Bills as Allen's understudy in 2021. After two somewhat tumultuous seasons with the Steelers, he returned to back up his golfing buddy.

"I think Mitch came in last year. We had just brought him back from being here the previous couple of seasons. So he knows, hey, I've got to come out and show that I'm the right guy should something happen to Josh Allen, that I'm the guy," said Beane.

There are no guarantees in the NFL, but Trubisky appears to have a stronghold on the Bills' QB2 role until proven otherwise.