The Chicago Bears made their intentions clear leading up to October's NFL trade deadline. GM Ryan Poles was committed to the rebuild, and that meant unloading any players that had value. Robert Quinn was the first name jettisoned. The Philadelphia Eagles came calling with the offer of a 4th round pick. Poles couldn't turn it down. Quinn hadn't produced much through the first several games of 2022. He was in his 30s. Hanging onto him made little sense for a team trying to get younger.
One would think Quinn would've been happy. The Bears weren't in the playoff hunt by the end of October. Philadephia was the heavy favorite to claim the #1 seed in the playoffs. Their roster was stacked, and they were ready to make a Super Bowl push. Quinn had never been on a team that talented in his entire career. Having a chance to finally get a ring would thrill most men. While the former All-Pro is excited to be part of the fun, he admitted to Bears reporters that he still isn't happy about the trade.
Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times caught his words.
Robert Quinn never wanted to leave Chicago. It still bothers him that the Bears traded him to the Eagles on Oct. 26. But the end result — a Super Bowl appearance in his 12th season, after never winning as much as a single playoff game until this season — was enough to coax a crooked smile out of the corner of his mouth.
“It was an unexpected journey that I went on,” Quinn said Monday, “but it seemed to work out well in the end.”
Quinn didn’t want to uproot his family in the middle of the season. When general manager Ryan Poles dealt him for a fourth-round pick, he was furious.
“Honestly, I was mad,” he said. “Highly upset — just how it went down. You pull into the building and they say you’re getting traded, especially in the middle of the year. It isn’t really a good feeling.
“Especially after breaking the record. I thought that would help me.”
Robert Quinn seemed tired of constantly moving.
One of the reasons he signed a five-year contract with the Bears was that he was hoping to put down more permanent roots for his family. Between 2016 and 2020, he changed cities four times. That kind of uncertainty can weigh on children. Quinn had hoped his epic 18-sack season in 2021 would be enough to give him more leeway despite his slow start last year. Sadly the regime change ruined everything. If Ryan Pace had remained in charge, it's unlikely the defensive end would've been dealt. Once Poles took over, his days were numbered.
Part of the lingering regret may come from a feeling of disconnect in Philadelphia. Robert Quinn missed several games in December and has only played 40 total snaps since returning in the season finale. He hasn't registered a single sack with the Eagles since arriving. It is easy for a competitor like that to feel somewhat out of place. Simply along for the ride. Either way, Quinn might be 60 minutes of football away from claiming the one thing missing in his otherwise Hall-of-Fame-worthy career.
In time, he will likely thank the Bears for that.
