NFL · NFC North · Chicago, Illinois, US · Soldier Field
The franchise that invented professional football as we know it, the Bears carry George Halas's founding legacy and the swagger of the '85 team in their DNA. Chicago has been chasing that feeling ever since—and with Caleb Williams under center, the oldest story in the NFL is ready to believe again.
Updated March 21, 2026
Ben Johnson's debut as head coach was nothing short of transformative. The Bears went 11-6, won the NFC North for the first time since 2018, and earned their first playoff victory since 2010 by defeating the rival Packers 31-27 in the Wild Card. Johnson's 12 total wins (including the postseason) tied the franchise record for a first-year head coach, and he was named a finalist for AP Coach of the Year.
Under Ben Johnson's innovative offensive scheme, Caleb Williams blossomed in his second NFL season, leading a Bears offense that was unrecognizable from the Eberflus era. Williams' chemistry with his receivers and his growing command of the offense were evident in a division-clinching run that has Chicago dreaming about a deep 2026 playoff push.
The Bears' season ended with a gut-wrenching 20-17 overtime loss to the Rams in the Divisional Round, just one win from the NFC Championship. The defeat stung, but the postseason experience — including that cathartic Wild Card win over Green Bay — gives Chicago a foundation to build on. In a historically competitive NFC North where all four teams finished above .500, the Bears stood tallest.