Wales and the NFL. Two words which, before this season, would rarely win you prizes in any game of word association.

However, all that has changed this season.

First, there was the case of Louis Rees-Zammit, turning his back on Wales’ Six Nations squad to fulfil a lifelong dream of playing American Football at the highest table.

The former Wales, British and Irish Lions, and Gloucester wing has since signed a three-year deal with reigning Superbowl champions Kansas City Chiefs.

And then there is the mysterious case of Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent.

The 23-year-old from West Virginia was an undrafted free agent when he was picked up by the Bears at the start of the 2023 season but made his way into the starting position after Justin Fields’ injury.

He won on his first start in the NFL, becoming the first Bears quarterback to do so since 2004, before winning one and losing two others in a four-game stint as the man in the driving seat.

But what has particularly piqued the interest of Welsh fans was a video which showcased Bagent’s impressive array of tattoos. Two in particular stood out.

The word “Teulu”, Welsh for family and the words “Teimlais fy holl fywyd fy mod I fod I hedfan” are displayed on his torso, the latter translating as ‘I felt my whole life that I was meant to fly’.

Until very recently, the connection flummoxed Welsh NFL fans.

“It’s been interesting, a couple of weeks ago I started getting messages on Instagram asking about my tattoos,” Bagent told Sportin Wales.

“It’s made me take a deep dive into my tattoos more than I ever really had since I got them.”

The reference to flying, written directly below a man fishing from a boat as an airplane flies directly above his head, is a direct quote by Bagent’s grandad whose heritage is from Wales.

Bagent’s grandfather died recently which was the inspiration behind the ink.

“My overwhelming love for my grandad is my main reason for the tattoos and how much he meant to me,” said Bagent.

“Every year, one of the things me and my grandpa would do is go fishing, so I got him on his boat and he was also a pilot so I got the plane he used to fly.

“The last couple of times I’d see him I’d record our conversations, trying to take a deep dive into his life and when he was happy, satisfied, unsatisfied, all the things, then we got talking about him being a pilot and it was word for word he said.

“I’ve been thinking about my grandad, how happy he’d have been for me to be in the position I’m on today, also how excited he’d have been with this whole story.”

That experience, whilst Bagent was still only 17, along with the recordings were “life changing” and have helped strengthen his mental resolve.

“I’m glad I went about it the way I did,” said Bagent.

“Not really being scared or sad about the death that’s coming, just accepting of it and leaning into it, because those are real natural moments we don’t get very often.

“I watched my grandfather die in a sense over years but in a hypersensitive manner for three months, watched him wither and pass away and talked about all the things he did and made him happy sad, things he wasted his time on, things he thought were a good time use.

“He was a lawyer, a pilot, he did so many different things and to hear the things that meant the most to him a lot of the time they were things that weren’t materialistic but real-life moments he was able to be a part of.

“There’s probably been 150 times today where I’ve stressed or worried about something really stupid which I won’t think about on my deathbed, so being able to hone in on that was huge for me.”

Bagent doesn’t speak Welsh so translating his grandad’s words into Cymraeg was partly down do a translating tool every child is taught not to use.

“It was Google translate,” said Bagent.

“Although I made sure to make sure I didn’t have random words on my body forever, in Spanish class back in the day sometimes it’d be good, sometimes the teacher would ask where on earth I could have come up with that translation, but this time it worked well.”

Bagent’s father Travis is a 28-time arm wrestling world champion and his son says his dad’s “energy” has played a crucial part in his career.

“That energy has always been great for me and all my siblings, being able to be around someone like that on a daily basis that breathes so much life into you, whether you can or can’t he’s going to make you feel like you can,” said Tyson Bagent.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without that character. You could get fired today, you could get fired tomorrow, there’s no guarantees with this until you get that second contract.

“It’s a day-today business being able to compete every day and that’s the biggest part.”

Bagent now has more competition at the start of this season after Bears used their number one pick in the 2024 NFL Draft to select quarterback Caleb Williams which brings more pressure to a position which Bagent believes is the “hardest job in the world”.

“There’s a lot of pressure but there’s a sense of what the hell else am I going to do? A teacher? It’s fine but it’s not what I want to be right now, I want to be a football player,” said Bagent.

“If I can be a tool for the team that helps everybody win and keeps people happy then everybody still has a job at the end of the day.

“I just try and work as hard as I can, be the best version of myself as I can, be as ready as I can and then do as much right as I possibly can do.

“I just try and hone in on what I am responsible for and control what I can control because I can’t control who they bring in or how many they bring in, that’s how I look at it and helps me settle in and not be as sporadic or anxious.

“It’s exciting too, we’re going to try and win a Superbowl this year, that’s the mindset in the building and everyone’s really excited.”

With plenty of time until the NFL season starts in September, only time whether that comes true and which of Bagent or 22-year-old Williams will be the bigger long-term success in Chicago.

 

Photograph credit – Chicago Bears