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Chicago Bears
please note:
- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
- it has been imported raw for GetWiki
{{short description|National Football League franchise in Chicago, Illinois}}{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}- the content below is remote from Wikipedia
- it has been imported raw for GetWiki
| factoids |
|---|
- Da Bears
- The Monsters of the Midway| hist_yr = 1922| hist_misc =
- Decatur Staleys (1920)
- Chicago Staleys (1921)| affiliate_old =| NFL_start_yr = 1920| division_hist =
- Western Division (1933–1949)
- National Conference (1950–1952)
- Western Conference (1953–1969)
- Central Division (1967–1969)
- National Football Conference (1970–present)
- NFC Central (1970–2001)
- NFC North (2002–present)| no_league_champs = 9| no_sb_champs = 1| no_conf_champs = 4| no_div_champs = 19| league_champs =
- NFL championships (pre-1970 AFL–NFL merger) (8){{nfly|1921}}, 1932, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1946, 1963
- NFL Western: {{nfly|1956}}, {{nfly|1963}}
- NFC: 1985, 2006| div_champs =
- NFL Western: 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946
- NFC Central: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2001
- NFC North: 2005, 2006, 2010, 2018| stadium_years =
- Staley Field (1919–{{nfly|1920}})
- Wrigley Field ({{nfly|1921|1970}})
- Soldier Field ({{nfly|1971|2001}}, {{nfly|2003}}–present)
- Dyche Stadium (one game)
- A.E. Staley Company (1919–1921)
- George Halas and Dutch Sternaman (1921–1932)
- George Halas (1932–1983)
- Virginia Halas McCaskey{{efn|Principal owner and control 80.3% of the stocks held by her family. Pat Ryan and Andrew J. McKenna’s estate own 19.7% of the club.}} (1983–present)| team_presidents =
- George Halas (1921–1953)
- George Halas Jr. (1963–1979)WEB, George Halas, Jr,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_70s.asp, ChicagoBears.com,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_70s.asp," title="web.archive.org/web/20061211003223www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_70s.asp,">web.archive.org/web/20061211003223www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_70s.asp, December 11, 2006, December 13, 2006, dead,
- Michael McCaskey (1983–1999)
- Ted Phillips (1999–2022)
- Kevin Warren (2023–present)| playoff_appearances =
- NFL: 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946, 1950, 1956, 1963, 1977, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2020| no_playoff_appearances = 28
Franchise history
1919–1939: Early Bears
{{Blockquote|In March of 1920 a man telephoned me ... George Chamberlain and he was general superintendent of the A.E. Staley Company ... In 1919, [the company’s Fellowship Club] had formed a football team. It had done well against other local teams but Mr. Staley wanted to build it into a team that could compete successfully with the best semi-professional and industrial teams in the country ... Mr. Chamberlain asked if I would like to come to Decatur and work for the Staley Company.|George Halas, in his book Halas by Halas.}}File:Pete Rozelle and George Halas.jpg|thumb|left|The team’s founder George Halas (right) with NFL Commissioner Pete RozellePete RozelleOriginally named the Decatur Staleys, the club was established by the A. E. Staley food starch company of Decatur, Illinois as a company team. This was the typical start for several early professional football franchises. The team played independently in 1919, winning the Central Illinois Championship.WEB,herald-review.com/news/local/the-chicago-bears-nfl-franchise-began-in-decatur-as-the/article_c6273ddc-07ba-53b8-bd12-f9742c6956e6.html, The Chicago Bears NFL franchise began in Decatur as the Staleys, Herald & Review, September 17, 2018, December 28, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20181228084709/https://herald-review.com/news/local/the-chicago-bears-nfl-franchise-began-in-decatur-as-the/article_c6273ddc-07ba-53b8-bd12-f9742c6956e6.html, December 28, 2018, live, The company hired George Halas and Edward “Dutch” Sternaman in 1920 to run the team. The 1920 Decatur Staleys seasonWEB,www.independentfootball.site90.com/Teams/1920DecStaleys.htm, 1920 Decatur Staleys, Independentfootball.site90.com, November 7, 2012,www.independentfootball.site90.com/Teams/1920DecStaleys.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20110716075300www.independentfootball.site90.com/Teams/1920DecStaleys.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20110716075300www.independentfootball.site90.com/Teams/1920DecStaleys.htm, July 16, 2011, live, was their inaugural regular season completed in the newly formed American Professional Football Association (later renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1922).Full control of the team was turned over to Halas and Sternaman in 1921.WEB, The Decatur Staleys, Local Website,home.comcast.net/~esterneman/sternaman/football.htm, June 15, 2006, dead,home.comcast.net/~esterneman/sternaman/football.htm," title="archive.today/20040223062149home.comcast.net/~esterneman/sternaman/football.htm,">archive.today/20040223062149home.comcast.net/~esterneman/sternaman/football.htm, February 23, 2004, Official team and league records cite Halas as the founder as he took over the team in 1920 when it became a charter member of the NFL.WEB, George Halas: Hall of Fame Member, Pro Football Hall of Fame,www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=85, May 14, 2006,www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=85," title="web.archive.org/web/20060405133723www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=85,">web.archive.org/web/20060405133723www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=85, April 5, 2006, live, The team moved to Chicago in 1921, where the club was renamed the Chicago Staleys; Under an agreement reached by Halas and Sternaman with Staley, they received US$5,000 to keep the name “Staleys” for the 1921 season.WEB, Chicago Bears Team History,www.profootballhof.com/teams/chicago-bears/team-history/, Pro Football Hall of Fame, en-US, In 1922, Halas changed the team name from the Staleys to the Bears.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history-by-decades/highlights-1920s.html, Highlights from the 1920s, Chicago Bears, December 19, 2016,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history-by-decades/highlights-1920s.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20180416071306www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history-by-decades/highlights-1920s.html,">web.archive.org/web/20180416071306www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history-by-decades/highlights-1920s.html, April 16, 2018, dead, The team moved into Wrigley Field, which was home to the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise. As with several early NFL franchises, the Bears derived their nickname from their city’s baseball team (some directly, some indirectly – like the Bears, whose young are called “cubs“).WEB,chicagoist.com/2007/01/31/ask_chicagoist_why_are_they_called_the_bears.php, Ask Chicagoist: Why Are They Called the Bears?, Exoo, Thales, Gothamist, January 31, 2007, Chicagoist, December 19, 2016, dead,chicagoist.com/2007/01/31/ask_chicagoist_why_are_they_called_the_bears.php," title="web.archive.org/web/20170510153921chicagoist.com/2007/01/31/ask_chicagoist_why_are_they_called_the_bears.php,">web.archive.org/web/20170510153921chicagoist.com/2007/01/31/ask_chicagoist_why_are_they_called_the_bears.php, May 10, 2017, Halas liked the bright orange-and-blue colors of his alma mater, the University of Illinois, and the Bears adopted those colors as their own, albeit in a darker shade of each (the blue is Pantone 5395, navy blue, and the orange is Pantone 1665, similar to burnt orange).WEB,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/uniform-history.html, Chicago Bears Uniform History, Chicago Bears, December 18, 2016,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/uniform-history.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20180407205428www.chicagobears.com/tradition/uniform-history.html,">web.archive.org/web/20180407205428www.chicagobears.com/tradition/uniform-history.html, April 7, 2018, dead, WEB,prod.static.bears.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/cb_brand_book_050410.pdf#page=15, The Chicago Bears Brand, Chicago Bears, PDF, December 18, 2016,prod.static.bears.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/cb_brand_book_050410.pdf#page=15," title="web.archive.org/web/20160304230137prod.static.bears.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/cb_brand_book_050410.pdf#page=15,">web.archive.org/web/20160304230137prod.static.bears.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/cb_brand_book_050410.pdf#page=15, March 4, 2016, live, The Staleys/Bears dominated the league in the early years. Their rivalry with the Chicago Cardinals, the oldest in the NFL (and a crosstown rival from 1920 to 1959), was key in four out of the first six league titles. During the league’s first six years, the Bears lost twice to the Canton Bulldogs (who took two league titles over that span), and split with their crosstown rival Cardinals (going 4–4–2 against each other over that span), but no other team in the league defeated the Bears more than a single time. During that span, the Bears posted 34 shutouts.The Bears’ rivalry with the Green Bay Packers is one of the oldest and most storied in American professional sports, dating back to 1921 (the Green Bay Packers were an independent team until they joined the NFL in 1921). In one infamous incident that year, Halas got the Packers expelled from the league in order to prevent their signing a particular player, and then graciously got them re-admitted after the Bears had closed the deal with that player.WEB, Peterson, Brian, Love-Hate Relationship: Bears-Packers Rivalry Always Bittersweet,www.packers.com/news/stories/2000/09/28/1/, Green Bay Packers, September 28, 2000, June 8, 2010, dead,www.packers.com/news/stories/2000/09/28/1/," title="web.archive.org/web/20100107015852www.packers.com/news/stories/2000/09/28/1/,">web.archive.org/web/20100107015852www.packers.com/news/stories/2000/09/28/1/, January 7, 2010, (File:1924bears.jpg|left|thumb|The 1924 team photo)The franchise was an early success under Halas, capturing the NFL Championship in {{nfly|1921}} and remaining competitive throughout the decade. In 1924 the Bears claimed the Championship after defeating the Cleveland Bulldogs on December 7, even putting the title “World’s Champions” on their 1924 team photo. But the NFL had ruled that games after November 30 did not count towards league standings, and the Bears had to settle for second place behind Cleveland.WEB, 1924: The Third Time is Charmed, PFRA,footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=1924b, February 7, 2007, dead,footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=1924b," title="web.archive.org/web/20071013105712footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=1924b,">web.archive.org/web/20071013105712footballresearch.com/articles/frpage.cfm?topic=1924b, October 13, 2007, Their only losing season came in {{nfly|1929}}.During the 1920s the club was responsible for triggering the NFL’s long-standing rule that a player could not be signed until his college’s senior class had graduated. The NFL took that action as a consequence of the Bears’ aggressive signing of famous University of Illinois player Red Grange within a day of his final game as a collegian.WEB, Galloping Ghost scared opponents, ESPN.com,espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html, December 1, 2005,espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20051231152202espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html,">web.archive.org/web/20051231152202espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014213.html, December 31, 2005, live, Despite much of the on-field success, the Bears were a team in trouble. They faced the problem of increased operating costs and flatlined attendance. The Bears would only draw roughly 5,000–6,000 fans a game, while a University of Chicago game would draw 40,000–50,000 fans a game. By adding top college football draw Red Grange to the roster, the Bears knew that they found something to draw more fans to their games. C.C. Pyle was able to secure a $2,000 per game contract for Grange, and in one of the first games, the Bears defeated the Green Bay Packers, 21–0. However, Grange remained on the sidelines while learning the team’s plays from Bears quarterback Joey Sternaman. Later in 1925, The Bears would go on a barnstorming tour, showing off the best football player of the day. 75,000 people paid to see Grange lead the Bears to a 17–7 victory over the Los Angeles Tigers, who were a quickly put together team of West Coast college all-stars. After a loss to San Francisco, the Bears cruised to a 60–3 over a semi-pro team called the Portland All Stars.BOOK, Whittingham, Richard, Ditka, Mike, The Chicago Bears: From George Halas to Super Bowl XX, 1986, Simon & Schuster, 978-0-671-62885-7, 13795870, registration,archive.org/details/chicagobearsfrom0000whit, Any hopes that Grange would lead the Bears to glory in 1926 were quickly dashed. A failed contract talk led to Grange bolting to the AFL’s New York Yankees, owned by Pyle. The Bears also lost star quarterback Joey Sternaman, who joined the Chicago Bulls of the AFL. The Bears replaced Grange with Paddy Driscoll, a star football player in his own right. The Bears used the money made from the Grange barn-storming tour to sign the man that replaced him. Grange split his time between making movies and playing football. However, the time was not right to have two competing pro football leagues, and the AFL folded after only one season. Grange would return to the Bears.After the financial losses of the {{nfly|1932}} Championship season, Halas’ partner Dutch Sternaman left the organization. Halas maintained full control of the Bears until his death in 1983. He also coached the team off-and-on for forty seasons, an NFL record. In the 1932 “Unofficial” NFL Championship, the Bears defeated the Portsmouth Spartans in the first NFL playoff game.WEB,www.profootballhof.com/football-history/decades-1930s-first-playoff-game/, First Playoff Game, Pro Football Hall of Fame, November 28, 2023, Due to blizzard conditions in Chicago, the game was played at Chicago Stadium,AV MEDIA,www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF-MYaFH6us, Doc Emrick tells the odd tale of the 1932 NFL Championship Game, NBC Sports, YouTube, December 12, 2021, November 28, 2023, marking it as the first indoor American football game.The success of the playoff game led the NFL to institute a championship game. In the first NFL Championship, the Bears played against the New York Giants, defeating them 23–21. The teams met again in the 1934 NFL Championship where the Giants, wearing sneakersSee 1934 NFL Championship Game for more information on how the Giants wore sneakers and defeated the Bears defeated the Bears 30–13 on a cold, icy day at the Polo Grounds.1940s: The Monsters of the Midway
From 1940 to 1947, quarterback Sid Luckman led the Bears to victories in four out of the five NFL Championship Games in which they appeared. The team acquired the University of Chicago’s discarded nickname “Monsters of the Midway” and their now-famous helmet wishbone-C, as well as a newly penned theme song that declared them “The Pride and Joy of Illinois”. One famous victory during that period was their 73–0 victory over the favored Washington Redskins at Griffith Stadium in the 1940 NFL Championship Game; the score is still an NFL record for lopsided results.WEB, General History — Chronology (1940 to 1959), Pro Football Hall of Fame,www.profootballhof.com/history/general/chronology/1940-1959.jsp, January 1, 2006,www.profootballhof.com/history/general/chronology/1940-1959.jsp," title="web.archive.org/web/20060213031909www.profootballhof.com/history/general/chronology/1940-1959.jsp,">web.archive.org/web/20060213031909www.profootballhof.com/history/general/chronology/1940-1959.jsp, February 13, 2006, live, The secret behind the one-sided outcome was the introduction of a new offensive formation by Halas. The T-formation, as Halas named it, involved two running backs instead of the traditional one in the backfield. Luckman established himself as one of the franchise’s most elite quarterbacks. Between 1939 and 1950, he set the Bears’ passing records for most career touchdowns, yards, and completions. Many of Luckman’s records stood for decades before they were eclipsed by Jay Cutler in {{NFL Year|2014}}.WEB, Sid Luckman, Pro Football Hall of Fame,www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=135, July 12, 2006,www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=135," title="web.archive.org/web/20060907082245www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=135,">web.archive.org/web/20060907082245www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=135, September 7, 2006, live, Cutler then went on to break Luckman’s franchise record for most career passing touchdowns a year later in {{NFL Year|2015}}.WEB,espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14094573/jay-cutler-sets-chicago-bears-record-138th-touchdown-pass, Cutler sets Bears record with 138th TD pass, November 10, 2015, January 25, 2016,espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14094573/jay-cutler-sets-chicago-bears-record-138th-touchdown-pass," title="web.archive.org/web/20151110210713espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14094573/jay-cutler-sets-chicago-bears-record-138th-touchdown-pass,">web.archive.org/web/20151110210713espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14094573/jay-cutler-sets-chicago-bears-record-138th-touchdown-pass, November 10, 2015, live,1950s–1968: Late-Halas era
(File:8X10A 1961 Chicago Bears o-line practice 1.jpg|thumb|1961 Chicago Bears offensive line in action. “Bears Workout at Soldier Field for Armed Forces game Friday.”)After declining throughout the 1950s, the team rebounded in {{nfly|1963}} to capture its eighth NFL Championship, which would be its last until 1985. The late 1960s and early-1970s produced notable players like Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, and Brian Piccolo,the subject of the film Brian’s Song who died of embryonal carcinoma in 1970. The American television network ABC aired a movie about Piccolo in 1971 entitled Brian’s Song, starring James Caan and Billy Dee Williams in the roles of Piccolo and Sayers respectively; Jack Warden won an Emmy Award for his performance as Halas. The movie was later released for theater screenings after first being shown on television. Despite Hall of Fame careers, Butkus and Sayers would also have their careers cut short due to injuries, hamstringing the Bears of this era.Halas retired as coach in 1967 and spent the rest of his days in the front office. He became the only person to be involved with the NFL throughout the first 60 years of its existence. He was also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s first induction class in 1963. As the only living founder of the NFL at the February 1970 merger between the NFL and the American Football League, the owners honored Halas by electing him the first President of the National Football Conference, a position that he held until his death in 1983. In his honor, the NFL named the NFC Championship trophy as the George Halas Memorial Trophy.1969–1982: Struggles
(File:1986 Jeno’s Pizza - 12 - Walter Payton (Walter Payton crop).jpg|thumb|Payton set several franchise and NFL records in rushing during his 13-season career with the Bears.)After the merger, the Bears finished the 1970 season last place in their division, a repeat of their placing in the 1969 season. In 1975, the Bears drafted Walter Payton from Jackson State University with their first pick.WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/payton-keyed-bears-outstanding-1975-draft, Payton keyed Bears’ outstanding 1975 draft, chicagobears.com, April 17, 2020, April 15, 2024, He won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award in the 1977–78 season.WEB, Walter Payton’s Statistics, Pro Football Hall of Fame,www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?player_id=174, June 3, 2006,www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=174," title="web.archive.org/web/20060628020941www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=174,">web.archive.org/web/20060628020941www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=174, June 28, 2006, live, WEB, Remembering Walter Payton, Daily Herald,www.dailyherald.com/special/payton/timeline.htm, June 11, 2006,www.dailyherald.com/special/payton/timeline.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20060813132908www.dailyherald.com/special/payton/timeline.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20060813132908www.dailyherald.com/special/payton/timeline.htm, August 13, 2006, dead, Payton would go on to eclipse Jim Brown’s NFL career rushing record in 1984 before retiring in 1987, and would hold the mark until {{nfly|2002}}, when Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys surpassed it.MAGAZINE, Smith passes Payton as NFL’s career rushing leader, Sports Illustrated,sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/27/smith_record_ap/, June 16, 2006,sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/27/smith_record_ap/," title="web.archive.org/web/20040626162916sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/27/smith_record_ap/,">web.archive.org/web/20040626162916sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/news/2002/10/27/smith_record_ap/, June 26, 2004, live, Payton’s career and personality would capture the hearts of Bear fans, who called him “Sweetness”. He died from a rare form of liver cancer in 1999 at the age of 45.On November 1, 1983, a day after the death of George Halas, his oldest daughter, Virginia McCaskey, took over as the majority owner of the team. Her husband, Ed McCaskey, succeeded her father as the chairman of the board.WEB, Ed McCaskey, Cook County Clerk,www.cookctyclerk.com/html/041503resdoc.htm, December 13, 2006,www.cookctyclerk.com/html/041503resdoc.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20060901175938www.cookctyclerk.com/html/041503resdoc.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20060901175938www.cookctyclerk.com/html/041503resdoc.htm, September 1, 2006, dead, Their son Michael became the third president in team history.WEB, Mike McCaskey, ChicagoBears Official Website,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_80s.asp, December 13, 2006, dead,www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_80s.asp," title="web.archive.org/web/20070121040604www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_80s.asp,">web.archive.org/web/20070121040604www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_80s.asp, January 21, 2007, Mrs. McCaskey holds the honorary title of “secretary of the board of directors”, but has been called the glue that holds the franchise together.WEB, McCaskey, Cranes Chicago Business,www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665, July 12, 2006,www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665," title="web.archive.org/web/20120515230439www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665,">web.archive.org/web/20120515230439www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665, May 15, 2012, live, Mrs. McCaskey’s reign as the owner of the Bears was not planned, as her father originally earmarked her brother, George “Mugs” Halas Jr. as the heir apparent to the franchise. However, he died of a severe heart attack in 1979. Her impact on the team is well-noted as her own family has dubbed her “The First Lady of Sports”, and the Chicago Sun-Times has listed her as one of Chicago’s most powerful women.NEWS, Chicago’s Most Powerful Women, Chicago Sun-Times,www.suntimes.com/special_sections/powerful_women/sports_mccaskey.html, April 24, 2004,www.suntimes.com/special_sections/powerful_women/sports_mccaskey.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20040511081119www.suntimes.com/special_sections/powerful_women/sports_mccaskey.html,">web.archive.org/web/20040511081119www.suntimes.com/special_sections/powerful_women/sports_mccaskey.html, May 11, 2004,1983–1985: Contenders, then Super Bowl champions
File:Mike Ditka.jpg|thumb|Bears Hall of Famer Mike DitkaMike DitkaMike Ditka, a tight end for the Bears from 1961 to 1966, was hired to coach the team by George Halas in 1982. His gritty personality earned him the nickname “Iron Mike”. The team reached the NFC Championship game in 1984. In the 1985 season the fire in the Bears–Packers rivalry was re-lit when Ditka used 315-pound defensive tackle “Refrigerator” Perry as a running back in a touchdown play at Lambeau Field, against the Packers. The Bears won their ninth NFL Championship, first since the AFL-NFL merger, in Super Bowl XX after the 1985 season in which they dominated the NFL with their then-revolutionary 46 defense and a cast of characters that recorded the novelty rap song “The Super Bowl Shuffle”. The season was notable in that the Bears had only one loss, the “unlucky 13th” game of the season, a Monday night affair in which they were defeated by the Miami Dolphins. At the time, much was made of the fact that the {{nfly|1972}} Dolphins were the only franchise in history to have had an undefeated season and post-season. The Dolphins came close to setting up a rematch in the Super Bowl, but lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC title game. “The Super Bowl Shuffle” was videotaped the day after that Monday night loss in Miami.1986–2003: Post-Super Bowl era
After the 1985 championship season, the Bears remained competitive throughout the 1980s but failed to return to the Super Bowl under Ditka. Between the firing of Ditka and the hiring of Lovie Smith, the Bears had two head coaches, Dave Wannstedt and Dick Jauron. While both head coaches led the team to the playoffs once (Wannstedt in 1994 and Jauron in 2001), neither was able to accumulate a winning record or bring the Bears back to the Super Bowl. Therefore, the 1990s was largely considered to be a disappointment.Before the Bears hired Jauron in January 1999, Dave McGinnis (Arizona’s defensive coordinator, and a former Bears assistant under Ditka and Wannstedt) backed out of taking the head coaching position. The Bears scheduled a press conference to announce the hiring before McGinnis agreed to contract terms.WEB, Dave McGinnis, Bears History,www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1999chicagobears.aspx, December 13, 2006,www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1999chicagobears.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20061208221755www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1999chicagobears.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20061208221755www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1999chicagobears.aspx, December 8, 2006, live, Soon after Jauron’s hiring, Mrs. McCaskey fired her son Michael as president, replacing him with Ted Phillips and promoting Michael to chairman of the board.WEB, Michael McCaskey, Cranes Chicago Business,www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665, July 12, 2006,www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665," title="web.archive.org/web/20120515230439www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665,">web.archive.org/web/20120515230439www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665, May 15, 2012, live, Phillips became the first man outside of the Halas-McCaskey family to run the team.WEB, Ted Phillips, Chicago Bears.com,www.chicagobears.com/team/frontofficeBio.jsp?id=29, July 12, 2006,www.chicagobears.com/team/frontofficeBio.jsp?id=29," title="web.archive.org/web/20060626100503www.chicagobears.com/team/frontofficeBio.jsp?id=29,">web.archive.org/web/20060626100503www.chicagobears.com/team/frontofficeBio.jsp?id=29, June 26, 2006, dead,2004–2012: Lovie Smith era
Lovie Smith, hired on January 15, 2004, is the third post-Ditka head coach. Joining the Bears as a rookie head coach, Smith brought the highly successful Tampa 2 defensive scheme with him to Chicago. Before his second season with the Bears, the team rehired their former offensive coordinator and then Illinois head coach Ron Turner to improve the Bears’ struggling offense.WEB, About the Chicago Bears, Vividseats.com,www.vividseats.com/nfl/chicago-bears-tickets.html, October 16, 2006,www.vividseats.com/nfl/chicago-bears-tickets.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20061017151717www.vividseats.com/nfl/chicago-bears-tickets.html,">web.archive.org/web/20061017151717www.vividseats.com/nfl/chicago-bears-tickets.html, October 17, 2006, live, In {{nfly|2005}}, the Bears won their division and reached the playoffs for the first time in four years. Their previous playoff berth was earned by winning the NFC Central in {{nfly|2001}}. The Bears improved upon their success the following season, by clinching their second consecutive NFC North title during Week 13 of the {{nfly|2006}} season, winning their first playoff game since 1995, and earning a trip to Super Bowl XLI.WEB, GameCenter: Recap, Superbowl.com,www.superbowl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20070121_NO@CHI, January 21, 2007,www.superbowl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20070121_NO%40CHI," title="web.archive.org/web/20070125134400www.superbowl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20070121_NO%40CHI,">web.archive.org/web/20070125134400www.superbowl.com/gamecenter/recap/NFL_20070121_NO%40CHI, January 25, 2007, dead, However, they fell short of the championship, losing 29–17 to the Indianapolis Colts. Following the 2006 season, the club decided to give Smith a contract extension through 2011, at roughly $5 million per year. This comes a season after being the lowest-paid head coach in the National Football League.WEB,sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2783609, Bears coach Smith, GM Angelo ink contract extensions, Sports.espn.go.com, March 1, 2007, December 5, 2010,sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2783609," title="web.archive.org/web/20110604015719sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2783609,">web.archive.org/web/20110604015719sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2783609, June 4, 2011, live, The club has played in over a thousand games since becoming a charter member of the NFL in {{nfly|1920}}. Through the 2010 season, they led the NFL in overall franchise wins with 704 and had an overall record of 704–512–42 (going 687–494–42 during the regular season and 17–18 in the playoffs).WEB, All-Time Chicago Bears Record, Pro Football Hall of Fame,www.profootballhof.com/history/team.jsp?franchise_id=6, June 15, 2006,profootballhof.com/history/team.jsp?franchise_id=6," title="web.archive.org/web/20060623033757profootballhof.com/history/team.jsp?franchise_id=6,">web.archive.org/web/20060623033757profootballhof.com/history/team.jsp?franchise_id=6, June 23, 2006, live, On November 18, 2010, the Bears recorded franchise win number 700 in a win against the Miami Dolphins.(File:Cutler Quinnan8 (cropped).jpg|thumb|130px|The Bears made one of the biggest trades in team history by acquiring Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler in 2009.)The Bears made one of the biggest trades in franchise history, acquiring Pro Bowl quarterback Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos in exchange for Kyle Orton and draft picks on April 2, 2009. After a disappointing 2009 campaign with the team going 7–9,NEWS, Mike, Mulligan, Bears get Cutler for two first-round picks, Orton, April 3, 2009,www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1508720,bears-cutler-040209.article?, Chicago Sun-Times, April 3, 2009, dead,www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1508720%2Cbears-cutler-040209.article," title="web.archive.org/web/20090404012412www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1508720%2Cbears-cutler-040209.article,">web.archive.org/web/20090404012412www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/1508720%2Cbears-cutler-040209.article, April 4, 2009, Mike Martz was hired as the team’s offensive coordinator on February 1, 2010.WEB,www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/02/mike-martz-hired-as-bears-offensive-coordinator.html, Mike Martz hired as Bears’ offensive coordinator - Chicago Breaking Sports, February 1, 2010, March 12, 2014, dead,www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/02/mike-martz-hired-as-bears-offensive-coordinator.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20100204093359www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/02/mike-martz-hired-as-bears-offensive-coordinator.html,">web.archive.org/web/20100204093359www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/02/mike-martz-hired-as-bears-offensive-coordinator.html, February 4, 2010, On March 5, 2010, the Bears signed defensive end Julius Peppers, running back Chester Taylor, and tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, spending over $100 million on the first day of free agency.WEB,www.chicagonow.com/blogs/way-things-should-be/2010/03/bears-blow-minds-spend-100-million-in-one-day.html, Chicago Bears spend $100 on Free Agents – The Way Things Should Be, Chicagonow.com, March 4, 2010, December 5, 2010, dead,www.chicagonow.com/blogs/way-things-should-be/2010/03/bears-blow-minds-spend-100-million-in-one-day.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20100712080817www.chicagonow.com/blogs/way-things-should-be/2010/03/bears-blow-minds-spend-100-million-in-one-day.html,">web.archive.org/web/20100712080817www.chicagonow.com/blogs/way-things-should-be/2010/03/bears-blow-minds-spend-100-million-in-one-day.html, July 12, 2010, Also during the 2010 offseason, Michael McCaskey was replaced by brother George McCaskey as chairman of the Bears.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7833, George McCaskey becomes chairman, Chicagobears.com, May 5, 2011, July 14, 2012, dead,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7833," title="web.archive.org/web/20110820052529www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7833,">web.archive.org/web/20110820052529www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7833, August 20, 2011, With a 38–34 win against the New York Jets, the Bears clinched the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye for the 2010–11 NFL playoffs. In their first Playoff game since Super Bowl XLI, The Bears defeated the No. 4 seed Seattle Seahawks 35–24 in the Divisional Round. The Bears reached the NFC Championship Game, where they played Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field – only the second playoff meeting between the two storied rivals, the only other game played in 1941.WEB, Bears defeat Seahawks to set up NFC Title showdown, chicagobears.com,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7496, January 16, 2011, dead,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7496," title="web.archive.org/web/20110119041006www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7496,">web.archive.org/web/20110119041006www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=7496, January 19, 2011, The Bears lost the game, 21–14.The team started the 2011 season strong with a 7–3 record, and running back Matt Forté led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage. Eventually, quarterback Jay Cutler fractured his thumb, and Forté also was lost for the season against the Kansas City Chiefs after spraining his MCL, and the Bears, with Caleb Hanie playing, lost five straight before winning against the Minnesota Vikings with Josh McCown starting over Hanie. At season’s end, general manager Jerry Angelo was fired, and former Chiefs director of scouting and former Bears scout Phil Emery was brought in. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz resigned, and eventually retired, and was replaced by offensive line coach Mike Tice. The Bears made another notable move by trading for Miami Dolphins receiver and Pro Bowl MVP Brandon Marshall.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8680, Bears land Marshall in trade with Miami, Chicagobears.com, March 13, 2012, May 11, 2012, dead,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8680," title="web.archive.org/web/20120407205620www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8680,">web.archive.org/web/20120407205620www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8680, April 7, 2012, The Bears became the first team in NFL history to return six interceptions for touchdowns in the first seven games of the season, with another pick-six by Brian Urlacher in Week 9 bringing Chicago two behind the record set by the 1961 San Diego Chargers.WEB,www.profootballhof.com/history/2012/10/29/bears-chase-nfl-record-interceptions-for-touchdown/, Bears picking on history, Pro Football Hall of Fame, October 29, 2012, December 1, 2012,www.profootballhof.com/history/2012/10/29/bears-chase-nfl-record-interceptions-for-touchdown/," title="web.archive.org/web/20121114055643www.profootballhof.com/history/2012/10/29/bears-chase-nfl-record-interceptions-for-touchdown/,">web.archive.org/web/20121114055643www.profootballhof.com/history/2012/10/29/bears-chase-nfl-record-interceptions-for-touchdown/, November 14, 2012, live, However, the Bears missed the playoffs with a record of 10–6 (after starting the season 7–1, the first team to start with the record and miss the playoffs since the 1996 Washington Redskins),NEWS, Trister, Noah,www.boston.com/sports/football/2012/12/30/bears-beat-lions-stay-playoff-race/cHK5d0A5v5jGN0sPwdYltM/story.html, Bears miss playoffs despite 26–24 win over Lions, Boston.com, December 30, 2012, December 30, 2012, dead,www.boston.com/sports/football/2012/12/30/bears-beat-lions-stay-playoff-race/cHK5d0A5v5jGN0sPwdYltM/story.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20131002101357www.boston.com/sports/football/2012/12/30/bears-beat-lions-stay-playoff-race/cHK5d0A5v5jGN0sPwdYltM/story.html,">web.archive.org/web/20131002101357www.boston.com/sports/football/2012/12/30/bears-beat-lions-stay-playoff-race/cHK5d0A5v5jGN0sPwdYltM/story.html, October 2, 2013, and Smith was fired on December 31.WEB, Rosenthal, Gregg,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000119943/article/lovie-smith-fired-by-chicago-bears, Lovie Smith fired as Chicago Bears coach, National Football League, December 31, 2012, December 31, 2012,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000119943/article/lovie-smith-fired-by-chicago-bears," title="web.archive.org/web/20130102144633www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000119943/article/lovie-smith-fired-by-chicago-bears,">web.archive.org/web/20130102144633www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000119943/article/lovie-smith-fired-by-chicago-bears, January 2, 2013, live,2013–2014: Marc Trestman years
Then-CFL head coach and former NFL journeyman Marc Trestman was hired to succeed Smith after an exhaustive search that included at least 13 known candidates.WEB, Biggs, Brad, Pompei, Dan,www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-bears-hire-marc-trestman-20130115,0,7826477.story, Marc Trestman chosen to be Bears’ new coach, Chicago Tribune, January 16, 2013, January 16, 2013, dead,www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-bears-hire-marc-trestman-20130115%2C0%2C7826477.story," title="web.archive.org/web/20130116093830www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-bears-hire-marc-trestman-20130115%2C0%2C7826477.story,">web.archive.org/web/20130116093830www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-bears-hire-marc-trestman-20130115%2C0%2C7826477.story, January 16, 2013, WEB, Isaacson, Melissa,espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/8835945/phil-emery-wait-too-long-find-chicago-bears-coach, Emery can’t wait too long, ESPN, January 11, 2013, January 16, 2013,espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/8835945/phil-emery-wait-too-long-find-chicago-bears-coach," title="web.archive.org/web/20130114222110espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/8835945/phil-emery-wait-too-long-find-chicago-bears-coach,">web.archive.org/web/20130114222110espn.go.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/8835945/phil-emery-wait-too-long-find-chicago-bears-coach, January 14, 2013, live, On March 20, 2013, Brian Urlacher’s 13-year tenure with the Bears ended when both sides failed to agree on a contract.WEB, McIntyre, Brian,sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/chicago-bears-announce-brian-urlacher-not-back-2013-224525683--nfl.html, Chicago Bears announce that Brian Urlacher will not be back in 2013, Yahoo! Sports, March 20, 2013, March 20, 2013,sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/chicago-bears-announce-brian-urlacher-not-back-2013-224525683--nfl.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20130323044743sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/chicago-bears-announce-brian-urlacher-not-back-2013-224525683--nfl.html,">web.archive.org/web/20130323044743sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/chicago-bears-announce-brian-urlacher-not-back-2013-224525683--nfl.html, March 23, 2013, live, The Trestman era began on September 8 with a 24–21 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, making Trestman the fourth head coach in Bears history to win in his coaching debut, after George Halas (1920), Neill Armstrong (1978) and Dick Jauron (1999).MAGAZINE,sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2013/09/08/5403/index.html, Cutler, Marshall lead Bears over Bengals 24–21, Sports Illustrated, September 8, 2013, September 8, 2013,sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2013/09/08/5403/index.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20130912195347sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2013/09/08/5403/index.html,">web.archive.org/web/20130912195347sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/nfl/gameflash/2013/09/08/5403/index.html, September 12, 2013, live, The Bears ended the 2013 season 8–8, barely missing the playoffs after losing in the final week of the season to the Packers.NEWS, Jones, Lindsay H.,www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/12/29/nfl-week-17-packers-bears-aaron-rodgers-jay-cutler/4243675/, Aaron Rodgers leads Packers past Bears, into playoffs, USA Today, December 29, 2013, August 29, 2014,www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/12/29/nfl-week-17-packers-bears-aaron-rodgers-jay-cutler/4243675/," title="web.archive.org/web/20141018141934www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/12/29/nfl-week-17-packers-bears-aaron-rodgers-jay-cutler/4243675/,">web.archive.org/web/20141018141934www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/12/29/nfl-week-17-packers-bears-aaron-rodgers-jay-cutler/4243675/, October 18, 2014, live, Despite having a second-ranked offense that set numerous franchise records,WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Long-named-to-PFF-All-Rookie-Team/f1d360be-db5b-4d85-b8b8-ded4a3ac6af0, Long named to PFF All-Rookie Team, Chicago Bears, January 8, 2014, January 8, 2014,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Long-named-to-PFF-All-Rookie-Team/f1d360be-db5b-4d85-b8b8-ded4a3ac6af0," title="web.archive.org/web/20140109014955www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Long-named-to-PFF-All-Rookie-Team/f1d360be-db5b-4d85-b8b8-ded4a3ac6af0,">web.archive.org/web/20140109014955www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Long-named-to-PFF-All-Rookie-Team/f1d360be-db5b-4d85-b8b8-ded4a3ac6af0, January 9, 2014, dead, the defense greatly worsened as it set franchise worsts in categories like yards allowed (6,313).WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Improving-defense-a-top-priority/48521138-22fd-4526-a404-1960071e0fa6, Improving defense a top priority, Chicago Bears, January 4, 2014, January 5, 2014,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Improving-defense-a-top-priority/48521138-22fd-4526-a404-1960071e0fa6," title="web.archive.org/web/20140106042350www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Improving-defense-a-top-priority/48521138-22fd-4526-a404-1960071e0fa6,">web.archive.org/web/20140106042350www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Improving-defense-a-top-priority/48521138-22fd-4526-a404-1960071e0fa6, January 6, 2014, dead, The following season was a disaster for the Bears, with the offense regressing to finish outside the top 20 in scoring.WEB,www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/index.htm#all_team_scoring, 2014 NFL Standings & Team Stats – Scoring Offense, Pro-Football-Reference.com, August 20, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180821093910/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2014/index.htm#all_team_scoring, August 21, 2018, live, The team also allowed 50-point games in two straight weeks against the Patriots and Packers, including a franchise-high 42 points and NFL-record six touchdowns allowed in the first half against the latter,NEWS, Armas, Genaro C.,www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/aaron-rodgers-packers-bears-record-half_n_6130674.html, Aaron Rodgers Throws 6 TD Passes In 1st Half As Packers Crush Bears 55-14, The Huffington Post, November 10, 2014, November 27, 2014,www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/aaron-rodgers-packers-bears-record-half_n_6130674.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20141112143148www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/aaron-rodgers-packers-bears-record-half_n_6130674.html,">web.archive.org/web/20141112143148www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/aaron-rodgers-packers-bears-record-half_n_6130674.html, November 12, 2014, live, WEB, Breech, Josh,www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24793799/bears-line-up-to-punt-packers-kick-ball-instead, Bears line up to punt, Packers kick ball instead, CBSSports.com, November 9, 2014, November 27, 2014,www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24793799/bears-line-up-to-punt-packers-kick-ball-instead," title="web.archive.org/web/20141110072941www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24793799/bears-line-up-to-punt-packers-kick-ball-instead,">web.archive.org/web/20141110072941www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24793799/bears-line-up-to-punt-packers-kick-ball-instead, November 10, 2014, live, to become the first team since the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons to allow at least 50 points in consecutive games.WEB, Neveau, James,www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Packers-Bears-Sunday-Night-Lambeau-Field-Cutler-Rodgers-282090151.html, Packers Bludgeon Bears 55-14 in Embarrassing Rout, WMAQ-TV, November 10, 2014, November 10, 2014,www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Packers-Bears-Sunday-Night-Lambeau-Field-Cutler-Rodgers-282090151.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20141111054025www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Packers-Bears-Sunday-Night-Lambeau-Field-Cutler-Rodgers-282090151.html,">web.archive.org/web/20141111054025www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Packers-Bears-Sunday-Night-Lambeau-Field-Cutler-Rodgers-282090151.html, November 11, 2014, live, The Bears ended the year 5–11 and last in the NFC North. Trestman and Emery were fired after the season ended.WEB, Rosenthal, Gregg,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000451258/article/chicago-bears-fire-marc-trestman, Chicago Bears fire Marc Trestman, National Football League, December 29, 2014, December 29, 2014,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000451258/article/chicago-bears-fire-marc-trestman," title="web.archive.org/web/20141229171803www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000451258/article/chicago-bears-fire-marc-trestman,">web.archive.org/web/20141229171803www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000451258/article/chicago-bears-fire-marc-trestman, December 29, 2014, live,2015–2017: John Fox years
The Bears hired Ryan Pace of the New Orleans Saints to be their new general manager on January 8, 2015.NEWS, Biggs, Brad, Campbell, Rich, Wiederer, Dan,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-hire-ryan-pace-gm-story.html, Bears hire Ryan Pace as general manager, Chicago Tribune, January 8, 2015, January 8, 2015,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-hire-ryan-pace-gm-story.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20150109005708www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-hire-ryan-pace-gm-story.html,">web.archive.org/web/20150109005708www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-bears-hire-ryan-pace-gm-story.html, January 9, 2015, live, On January 16, 2015, John Fox accepted a four-year deal to become head coach.WEB, Mayer, Larry, Bears hire John Fox as head coach,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-hire-John-Fox-as-head-coach/9373af55-a45c-464e-990b-c7ca46950985, Chicago Bears, January 16, 2015, April 19, 2015,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-hire-John-Fox-as-head-coach/9373af55-a45c-464e-990b-c7ca46950985," title="web.archive.org/web/20150119001040www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-hire-John-Fox-as-head-coach/9373af55-a45c-464e-990b-c7ca46950985,">web.archive.org/web/20150119001040www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-hire-John-Fox-as-head-coach/9373af55-a45c-464e-990b-c7ca46950985, January 19, 2015, dead, In Fox’s first season as head coach, the Bears saw improvements from 2014; after USA Today projected the Bears to win three games,NEWS, Davis, Nate,www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/08/04/record-projections-super-bowl-50-packers-colts/30985171/, Who reaches Super Bowl 50? 2015 NFL record projections for all 32 teams, USA Today, August 4, 2015, August 4, 2015,www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/08/04/record-projections-super-bowl-50-packers-colts/30985171/," title="web.archive.org/web/20150806163200www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/08/04/record-projections-super-bowl-50-packers-colts/30985171/,">web.archive.org/web/20150806163200www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/08/04/record-projections-super-bowl-50-packers-colts/30985171/, August 6, 2015, live, they doubled that total and finished the season with a 6–10 record, including a Thanksgiving win over the Packers at Lambeau Field.WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Late-defensive-stand-preserves-big-win/f24c32a1-2662-4358-b769-5f6ccf57dfef, Late defensive stand preserves big win, Chicago Bears, November 26, 2015, December 6, 2015,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Late-defensive-stand-preserves-big-win/f24c32a1-2662-4358-b769-5f6ccf57dfef," title="web.archive.org/web/20151205034302www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Late-defensive-stand-preserves-big-win/f24c32a1-2662-4358-b769-5f6ccf57dfef,">web.archive.org/web/20151205034302www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Late-defensive-stand-preserves-big-win/f24c32a1-2662-4358-b769-5f6ccf57dfef, December 5, 2015, dead, However, during the 2016 season, the Bears regressed heavily, compiling a 3–13 record (their worst since the NFL’s change to 16-game seasons in 1978). The season included several injuries to starters and secondary players, including Jay Cutler, who only played five games as a result of two separate injuries.WEB, Eurich, Matt,www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bears-to-look-into-why-team-suffered-so-many-injuries-in-2016/, Bears to look into why team suffered so many injuries in 2016, CBSSports.com, January 5, 2017, January 9, 2017,www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bears-to-look-into-why-team-suffered-so-many-injuries-in-2016/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170110160654www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bears-to-look-into-why-team-suffered-so-many-injuries-in-2016/,">web.archive.org/web/20170110160654www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/bears-to-look-into-why-team-suffered-so-many-injuries-in-2016/, January 10, 2017, live, Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer started the next three games before a broken arm put him out for the season. He was replaced by Matt Barkley, who made his first career start with the Bears.WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Depleted-Bears-burned-by-Rodgers/e1570d4d-c6fe-4ed4-8f47-a15748eed1c9, Depleted Bears burned by Rodgers, Chicago Bears, October 20, 2016, October 23, 2016,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Depleted-Bears-burned-by-Rodgers/e1570d4d-c6fe-4ed4-8f47-a15748eed1c9," title="web.archive.org/web/20161023153755www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Depleted-Bears-burned-by-Rodgers/e1570d4d-c6fe-4ed4-8f47-a15748eed1c9,">web.archive.org/web/20161023153755www.chicagobears.com/news/article-gamerecap/Depleted-Bears-burned-by-Rodgers/e1570d4d-c6fe-4ed4-8f47-a15748eed1c9, October 23, 2016, dead, WEB, Emma, Chris,chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/11/27/bears-qb-jay-cutler-inactive-matt-barkley-starts-against-the-titans/, Bears QB Jay Cutler Inactive; Matt Barkley Starts Against The Titans, WBBM-TV, November 27, 2016, November 27, 2016,chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/11/27/bears-qb-jay-cutler-inactive-matt-barkley-starts-against-the-titans/," title="web.archive.org/web/20161128133241chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/11/27/bears-qb-jay-cutler-inactive-matt-barkley-starts-against-the-titans/,">web.archive.org/web/20161128133241chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/11/27/bears-qb-jay-cutler-inactive-matt-barkley-starts-against-the-titans/, November 28, 2016, live, None of the three quarterbacks returned for the 2017 season.WEB, Patra, Kevin,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000791875/article/chicago-bears-release-quarterback-jay-cutler, Chicago Bears release quarterback Jay Cutler, National Football League, March 9, 2017, March 9, 2017,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000791875/article/chicago-bears-release-quarterback-jay-cutler," title="web.archive.org/web/20170310014733www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000791875/article/chicago-bears-release-quarterback-jay-cutler,">web.archive.org/web/20170310014733www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000791875/article/chicago-bears-release-quarterback-jay-cutler, March 10, 2017, live, WEB,www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Agree-to-Terms-with-Seven-Free-Agents/27ef0da5-47b8-4a0f-96d5-d6c61d929fb6?sf61333157=1, 49ers Agree to Terms with Seven Free Agents, San Francisco 49ers, March 9, 2017, March 9, 2017,www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Agree-to-Terms-with-Seven-Free-Agents/27ef0da5-47b8-4a0f-96d5-d6c61d929fb6?sf61333157=1," title="web.archive.org/web/20170312010052www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Agree-to-Terms-with-Seven-Free-Agents/27ef0da5-47b8-4a0f-96d5-d6c61d929fb6?sf61333157=1,">web.archive.org/web/20170312010052www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Agree-to-Terms-with-Seven-Free-Agents/27ef0da5-47b8-4a0f-96d5-d6c61d929fb6?sf61333157=1, March 12, 2017, dead, WEB, Malocco, Matt,www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/source-49ers-reach-two-year-contract-agreement-qb-matt-barkley, SOURCE: 49ERS REACH TWO-YEAR CONTRACT AGREEMENT WITH QB MATT BARKLEY, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, March 9, 2017, March 10, 2017,www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/source-49ers-reach-two-year-contract-agreement-qb-matt-barkley," title="web.archive.org/web/20170310080409www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/source-49ers-reach-two-year-contract-agreement-qb-matt-barkley,">web.archive.org/web/20170310080409www.csnbayarea.com/49ers/source-49ers-reach-two-year-contract-agreement-qb-matt-barkley, March 10, 2017, live, In the 2017 NFL draft, the team selected quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the second-overall pick,WEB, Alper, Josh,profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/04/27/bears-trade-up-to-no-2-take/, Bears trade up to No. 2, take Mitchell Trubisky, Profootballtalk.com, April 27, 2017, April 27, 2017,profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/04/27/bears-trade-up-to-no-2-take/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170428005326profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/04/27/bears-trade-up-to-no-2-take/,">web.archive.org/web/20170428005326profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/04/27/bears-trade-up-to-no-2-take/, April 28, 2017, live, who sat behind newly signed quarterback Mike Glennon for the first four games before taking over.NEWS, Campbell, Rich,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-mitch-trubisky-promoted-mike-glennon-bears-20171002-story.html, Bears FAQ: Mitch Trubisky promoted and Mike Glennon benched, Chicago Tribune, October 2, 2017, October 11, 2017,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-mitch-trubisky-promoted-mike-glennon-bears-20171002-story.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20171011071731www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-mitch-trubisky-promoted-mike-glennon-bears-20171002-story.html,">web.archive.org/web/20171011071731www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-mitch-trubisky-promoted-mike-glennon-bears-20171002-story.html, October 11, 2017, live, The Bears ended the season 5–11 and again finished last in the NFC North. On January 1, 2018, Fox was fired, ending his tenure in Chicago with a 14–34 record.WEB, Patra, Kevin,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000901544/article/chicago-bears-fire-coach-john-fox-after-511-season, Chicago Bears fire coach John Fox after 5-11 season, National Football League, January 1, 2018, January 1, 2018,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000901544/article/chicago-bears-fire-coach-john-fox-after-511-season," title="web.archive.org/web/20180101174300www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000901544/article/chicago-bears-fire-coach-john-fox-after-511-season,">web.archive.org/web/20180101174300www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000901544/article/chicago-bears-fire-coach-john-fox-after-511-season, January 1, 2018, live,2018–2021: Matt Nagy years
File:Bears Defense 2018.jpg|thumb|Roquan Smith, Khalil Mack, DeAndre Houston-Carson, and Akiem HicksAkiem HicksThe Bears hired Matt Nagy from the Kansas City Chiefs as their new head coach in January 2018.NEWS, Biggs, Brad,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-coach-20180108-story.html, Bears hire Matt Nagy as franchise’s 16th head coach, Chicago Tribune, January 8, 2018, January 8, 2018,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-coach-20180108-story.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20180108231857www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-coach-20180108-story.html,">web.archive.org/web/20180108231857www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-coach-20180108-story.html, January 8, 2018, live, General manager Ryan Pace signed receivers Taylor Gabriel, Allen Robinson, and Trey Burton in the offseason to complement second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.NEWS,chicago.suntimes.com/sports/bears-free-agency-wr-taylor-gabriel-plans-to-join-allen-robinson-trey-burton/, Bears free agency: WR Taylor Gabriel plans to join Allen Robinson, Trey Burton, Chicago Sun-Times, March 13, 2018, December 31, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20181231093233/https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/bears-free-agency-wr-taylor-gabriel-plans-to-join-allen-robinson-trey-burton/, December 31, 2018, live, The Bears also acquired linebacker Khalil Mack in a block-blockbuster trade from the Oakland Raiders to further bolster their defense, sending a package of draft picks that includes 2019 and 2020 1st round draft picks in exchange.WEB,www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2018/09/02/khalil-mack-trade-jon-gruden-explains-why-raiders-dealt-bears/1183491002/, Jon Gruden sounds off on Oakland Raiders’ trade of Khalil Mack to Chicago Bears, USA Today, September 5, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180904193610/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/raiders/2018/09/02/khalil-mack-trade-jon-gruden-explains-why-raiders-dealt-bears/1183491002/, September 4, 2018, live, Nagy’s Bears clinched the NFC North on December 16, 2018, for the first time since 2010 with a 24–17 victory over the Green Bay Packers.NEWS, Dickerson, Jeff,www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25550177/chicago-bears-clinch-first-nfc-north-title-2010, Bears stop Packers to clinch first NFC North crown since 2010, ESPN, December 16, 2018, December 31, 2018,www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25550177/chicago-bears-clinch-first-nfc-north-title-2010," title="web.archive.org/web/20181231092629www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25550177/chicago-bears-clinch-first-nfc-north-title-2010,">web.archive.org/web/20181231092629www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25550177/chicago-bears-clinch-first-nfc-north-title-2010, December 31, 2018, live, The Bears finished the 2018 season with a 12–4 record.NEWS, Hawley, Larry,wgntv.com/2018/12/30/bears-beat-the-vikings-to-finish-the-2018-season-12-4/, Bears beat Vikings 24-10, will host Eagles in wild-card playoff match, WGN, December 30, 2018, December 31, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20181231035850/https://wgntv.com/2018/12/30/bears-beat-the-vikings-to-finish-the-2018-season-12-4/, December 31, 2018, live, They lost to the defending Super Bowl Champions Philadelphia Eagles in the wild-card round of the playoffs after Cody Parkey’s game-winning field goal attempt was partially tipped and hit the uprights in the final seconds of the game, a play coined the “Double Doink”.NEWS, Patra, Kevin,www.nfl.com/news/cody-parkey-s-missed-field-goal-officially-ruled-block-0ap3000001008740, Cody Parkey’s missed field goal officially ruled block, NFL.com, January 7, 2019, September 17, 2021, WEB,www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-bears-philadelphia-eagles-live-blog-trey-burton-eddie-jackson-503973241.html, Bears Lose to Eagles on Heartbreaking Final Play, Neveau, James, NBC Chicago, January 6, 2019, en, January 8, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190109012039/https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-bears-philadelphia-eagles-live-blog-trey-burton-eddie-jackson-503973241.html, January 9, 2019, live, Despite the first-round exit, Nagy was named Coach of the Year by the Pro Football Writers Association and Associated Press.NEWS, Biggs, Brad,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-nfl-coach-of-the-year-20190202-story.html, Matt Nagy caps his 1st Bears season with the NFL Coach of the Year Award, Chicago Tribune, February 2, 2019, February 2, 2019, February 3, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190203044815/https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-matt-nagy-nfl-coach-of-the-year-20190202-story.html, live, WEB, Ellis, Cam,www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/matt-nagy-named-head-coach-year-pro-football-writers-america, Matt Nagy named Head Coach of the Year by Pro Football Writers of America, NBC Sports Chicago, January 17, 2019, January 17, 2019, January 19, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190119121447/https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bears/matt-nagy-named-head-coach-year-pro-football-writers-america, live, He was the first Bears coach to be given the AP award since Lovie Smith in 2005 and the fifth in team history.NEWS, Perez, Bryan,bearswire.usatoday.com/2019/02/03/matt-nagy-joins-legendary-bears-coaches-to-win-nfl-coach-of-the-year/, Matt Nagy joins legendary Bears coaches to win NFL Coach of the Year, Bears Wire, USA Today, February 3, 2019, February 11, 2019, February 12, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20190212070531/https://bearswire.usatoday.com/2019/02/03/matt-nagy-joins-legendary-bears-coaches-to-win-nfl-coach-of-the-year/, live, In 2019, the team regressed to an 8–8 record, though Nagy’s combined 20 wins in 2018 and 2019 were the most by a Bears head coach in his first two seasons.WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/quick-hits-pineiro-finishes-with-a-flourish-robinson-continues-to-shine, Quick Hits: Pineiro finishes with a flourish, Robinson continues to shine, Chicago Bears, December 29, 2019, December 30, 2019, December 30, 2019,web.archive.org/web/20191230190622/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/quick-hits-pineiro-finishes-with-a-flourish-robinson-continues-to-shine, live, During the year, renovations to Halas Hall were completed, allowing the team to move Training Camp from Ward Field on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois to Lake Forest for 2020.WEB,www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/training-camps.htm, Chicago Bears Training Camp Locations - Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro-Football-Reference.com, March 31, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20181110200045/https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/training-camps.htm, November 10, 2018, live, WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-moving-training-camp-back-to-halas-hall, Bears moving training camp back to Halas Hall, Chicago Bears, January 14, 2020, January 14, 2020, January 14, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200114213944/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-moving-training-camp-back-to-halas-hall, live, The Bears opened the 2020 season with a 5–1 record. However, they lost their next six games. The Bears won three of their last four games to finish the season with an 8–8 record. Despite their finish, the Bears qualified for the 2020–21 NFL playoffs, which was expanded to include one additional wildcard team from each conference.NEWS,www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/chicago-football/packers-vs-bears-live-blog-playoff-clinching-scenarios-johnson-skrine-out-for-chicago/2406769/, Packers Beat Bears at Soldier Field, but Chicago Headed to Playoffs Thanks to Rams Win, NBC Chicago, January 4, 2021, January 4, 2021, January 4, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210104011304/https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/sports/chicago-football/packers-vs-bears-live-blog-playoff-clinching-scenarios-johnson-skrine-out-for-chicago/2406769/, live, The New Orleans Saints defeated the Bears in the opening round of the playoffs, 21–9.WEB, Bears vs. Saints - Team Statistics - January 10, 2021 - ESPN,www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401220395, January 13, 2021, ESPN.com, January 13, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210113142752/https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401220395, live, The team did not re-sign Trubisky after the 2020 season and instead allowed him to become a free agent.WEB, Glab, Maddy, March 18, 2021, Bills agree to terms with quarterback Mitchell Trubisky,www.buffalobills.com/news/bills-agree-to-terms-with-quarterback-mitchell-trubisky, November 15, 2022, www.buffalobills.com, en-US, Prior to the 2021 season, the Bears traded up in the 2021 NFL draft to select quarterback Justin Fields 11th overall.WEB, Middlehurst-Schwartz, Michael, April 29, 2021, Chicago Bears trade up, take QB Justin Fields with No. 11 pick in NFL draft,www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/draft/2021/04/29/chicago-bears-take-justin-fields-quarterback-nfl-draft/7405463002/, April 29, 2021, USA Today, The team also signed veteran quarterback Andy Dalton in free agency. Dalton was initially declared the Bears starting quarterback, but Fields won the position after Dalton was injured.WEB, Patra, Kevin, September 22, 2021, Bears QB Justin Fields to start vs. Browns with Andy Dalton (knee) injured,www.nfl.com/news/bears-qb-justin-fields-to-start-vs-browns-with-andy-dalton-knee-injured, September 22, 2021, NFL.com, The Bears finished the season with a 6–11 record and missed the playoffs.NEWS, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/ryan-pace-matt-nagy-relieved-of-duties-with-bears, Pace, Nagy relieved of duties with the Bears, Chicago Bears, January 10, 2022, January 10, 2022, Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace were fired after the season’s conclusion. Nagy posted a 34–33 record over four seasons with two playoff berths, while Pace compiled a 48–65 record over seven seasons.2022–present: Matt Eberflus years
On January 25, 2022, the Bears hired Ryan Poles as their general manager. The team hired Matt Eberflus as the franchise’s 17th head coach two days later.WEB, Larry, Mayer, Bears hire Matt Eberflus as head coach,www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-hire-colts-defensive-coordinator-matt-eberflus-as-head-coach, Chicago Bears, January 27, 2022, January 27, 2022, en-US, The Bears struggled throughout the 2022 season, which included a franchise-record 10-game losing streak.NEWS, Lieser, Jason,chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2023/1/8/23545208/what-pick-do-bears-have-in-2023-nfl-draft-will-anderson-bryce-young-cj-stroud-jalen-carter-poles, Bears get No. 1 pick in draft after loss to Vikings, Texans’ stunner vs. Colts, Chicago Sun-Times, January 8, 2023, January 8, 2023, They finished with an NFL worst 3–14 record, which secured the team the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The Bears traded the first overall pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for wide receiver D. J. Moore and multiple draft picks.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/dj-moore-on-joining-bears-justin-fields-it-going-to-be-real-special-trade, DJ Moore on joining Bears: ‘It’s going to be real special’, ChicagoBears.com, Larry, Mayer, March 15, 2023, The Bears opened the 2023 season with a 0–4 record, extending the team losing streak to 14 (longest in team history; dating back to the 2022 season).WEB, Justin Fields, Bears snap 14-game losing streak: ‘I’m proud of everybody in the building’,www.nfl.com/news/justin-fields-bears-snap-14-game-losing-streak-i-m-proud-of-everybody-in-the-bui, NFL.com, en-US, The team bounced back by winning five of their last eight games, but finished with a 7–10 record, placing last in the NFC North for the second consecutive season. However, the team acquired the first overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, which was part of their previous trade with the Panthers, who finished the 2023 season with worst record in the NFL.NEWS, Kane, Colleen,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/ct-chicago-bears-green-bay-packers-week-18-20240107-ejyswgscr5aidnzabd3acfpmte-story.html, Week 18 recap: Chicago Bears lose their season finale 17-9 to the Green Bay Packers, who clinch the final NFC playoff spot, Chicago Tribune, January 7, 2024, January 7, 2024,Ownership
The team is primarily owned by the heirs of George Halas. His daughter, Virginia Halas McCaskey (holds 22.6% of the team stocks), is the principal owner and votes the stock for her 11 children and two nephews (3.8% each) and the Brizzolara family stocks (8.33%), which amounts to an 80.33% ownership share, allowing her to control the team.WEB, Wertheim, Jon, The Family Ownership Dramas That Roil the NFL,www.si.com/nfl/2018/07/16/nfl-succession-family-ownership-bowlen-benson-adams-mccaskey, August 26, 2018, SI.com, July 17, 2018, Time, Inc., August 27, 2018,web.archive.org/web/20180827005347/https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/07/16/nfl-succession-family-ownership-bowlen-benson-adams-mccaskey, live, Former chairman and CEO of Aon Corp. Pat Ryan (17.67%)WEB, Family Matters,www.chicagotribune.com/1998/12/27/family-matters-6/, Chicago Tribune, December 27, 1998, and former Aon director Andrew J. McKenna’s estate (2%) own the remainder 19.67% of the club.WEB, Bears Minority Owners, Crain’s Chicago Business,www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665, July 12, 2006,www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665," title="web.archive.org/web/20120515230439www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665,">web.archive.org/web/20120515230439www.chicagobusiness.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=9999100024665, May 15, 2012, live, Ryan is also a board member.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/team/front-office/, Front Office, Chicago Bears, The McCaskey family has right of first refusal on stock sale, while Ryan’s block has second refusal rights.In 2020, Forbes magazine reported that the franchise is worth $3.525 billion, making it the seventh richest franchise in the NFL.NEWS, Ozanian, Mike, Badenhausen, Kurt,www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/09/10/the-nfls-most-valuable-teams-2020-how-much-is-your-favorite-team-worth/?sh=6c5447422ba4, The NFL’s Most Valuable Teams 2020: How Much Is Your Favorite Team Worth?, Forbes, September 10, 2020, January 19, 2021, May 3, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210503215425/https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/09/10/the-nfls-most-valuable-teams-2020-how-much-is-your-favorite-team-worth/?sh=6c5447422ba4, live, Chicago is the third largest media market in the United States.NEWS, Ariens, Chris,www.adweek.com/tvspy/in-2016-dma-rankings-d-c-moves-up-one-spot-tampa-up-two/154885, In 2016 DMA Rankings, D.C. Moves Up One Spot, Tampa Up Two, AdWeek, September 4, 2015, January 13, 2017,www.adweek.com/tvspy/in-2016-dma-rankings-d-c-moves-up-one-spot-tampa-up-two/154885," title="web.archive.org/web/20170118142224www.adweek.com/tvspy/in-2016-dma-rankings-d-c-moves-up-one-spot-tampa-up-two/154885,">web.archive.org/web/20170118142224www.adweek.com/tvspy/in-2016-dma-rankings-d-c-moves-up-one-spot-tampa-up-two/154885, January 18, 2017, live, In a Crain’s Chicago Business article, one businessman described his wishes for the team to maximize its potential. In 2009, Yahoo! Sports listed the McCaskeys as the third worst owner in the NFL, stating “[T]hey get less for what they’ve got than any team in our league.“NEWS, Michael, Silver, ‘09 owner rankings, 17–32: Dysfunctional Davis, September 2, 2009, Yahoo! Sports,sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-ownerrankingspartone09020, September 4, 2009, dead,sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-ownerrankingspartone09020," title="web.archive.org/web/20111103060447sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-ownerrankingspartone09020,">web.archive.org/web/20111103060447sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ms-ownerrankingspartone09020, November 3, 2011,Ownership history
File:Halas-Sternaman-grange-bears.jpg|thumb|340px|Sternaman and Halas with Grange and Pyle ]]The club was founded by A. E. Staley Manufacturing Company owner Augustus Eugene Staley in 1919 and was own by the company until 1921. In 1921 Staley felt he could no longer afford the expensive burden of pro football and transferred the team ownership to Halas and paid him $5,000 for a sponsorship deal that kept the Staleys name for one more year.WEB,www.profootballhof.com/football-history/football-history/1869-1939/1921/, Staleys Claim the APFA Championship, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Halas than added Edward “Dutch” Sternaman as a second owner. In 1922 the Bears were incorporated at a NFL’s meeting on January 28, 1922, as “a new league team” after its name change.BOOK, Willis, Chris, August 19, 2010, The Man Who Built the National Football League: Joe F. Carr, Scarecrow Press, 978-0-8108-7670-5, 141–142, At season’s end, the two competed with agent Bill Harley for ownership of the Staleys, after he negotiated a contract that was to give his brother Chic Harley and himself one-third ownership of the team as part of his contract. However, Halas and Sternaman claimed that contract was voided when a physical revealed health impairments resultant from Harley’s time in the war. The other league owners agreed to nullify the deal in favor of the Halas/Sternaman partnership by an 8–2 vote.WEB,www.profootballresearchers.org/articles/A_Few_More_Loose_Ends.pdf, A Few More Loose Ends, The Professional Football Researchers Association, In addition, Halas and Sternaman offered a share of the team to Paddy Driscoll, but the move was blocked by the owners in the NFL’s June meeting, after the Chicago Cardinals (Driscoll’s team) activated the league’s reserve clause.In 1931 Sternaman offered to sell his part to his partner Halas for $38,000 to focus on his other businesses. Halas’ purchase agreement with Sternaman was to be paid off in installments, and stipulated that if Halas defaulted on any of the payments, ownership of the team reverted to Sternaman. Halas raised the initial funding by selling ownership stake to Ralph Brizzolara (8.33%),WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-12-19-8503280078-story.html, FLORENCE BRIZZOLARA, 87; FRIEND OF HALAS OWNED PART OF BEARS, Chicago Tribune, December 19, 1985, Jim McMillen ($5,000) and George Trafton mother which contribute $20,000 (Halas later bought her out for $40,000).WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/history/ct-spt-bears-best-players-george-trafton-20190809-6vqmesrmpjcnbditcp5agqjpti-story.html, Ranking the 100 best Bears players ever: No. 28, George Trafton, Chicago Tribune, August 9, 2019, Charles Bidwill purchased $5,000 in stock in 1933 (which was later bought off of his widow Violet for $50,000 in 1949WEB,vault.si.com/vault/1960/04/04/the-unhappiest-millionaire, The Unhappiest Millionaire, Sports Illustrated Vault, 1960, ) and he also arranged a bank loan for the remaining $5,000 needed to pay off Sternaman:{{Blockquote|“But it was a mighty close call. As I remember, I finally got all the money together at 11:10 a.m. on the day the final note came due. Forfeit time was 12 o’clock noon.“|George Halas, That’s The Way the Ball Bounces, 1967}}Halas remained the club’s president and principal owner until his death on October 31, 1983.Halas’s children, George Halas Jr. (“Mugs“) and Virginia McCaskey acquired stock in the team through prior gifts and sales. After “Mugs” death in 1979, Halas Sr. owned a 49.35% interest in the Bears, the estate of Halas Jr. owned a 19.67% interest, Virginia McCaskey, Jim Finks (3.5%, which he would later relinquished when he resigned as the team GMWEB, Ranking the best decisions in Bears history: Mike Ditka, Jim Finks and the T-formation,theathletic.com/4578961/2023/06/27/chicago-bears-best-decisions-rankings/, The Athletic, en, ), Charles Brizzolara, Robert and Carol Brizzolara in joint tenancy, and Nancy Lorenz owned the remaining outstanding shares. In 1981, the shareholders merged the Bears with a newly formed Delaware-incorporated organization, the Chicago Bears Football Club, Inc..WEB,casetext.com/case/in-re-estate-of-halas-1, ESTATE OF GEORGE S. HALAS, JR., Deceased, Casetext, In 1987, “Mugs” estate executor wanted to sell his stocks and challenges the legality of a 1981 corporate reorganization and the other owners right of first refusal,NEWS,www.nytimes.com/1987/08/02/business/chicago-bears-unhappy-heirs-and-a-stock-dispute.html, CHICAGO BEARS, UNHAPPY HEIRS, AND A STOCK DISPUTE, The New York Times, August 2, 1987, Phillips, Stephen, while his heirs Christine and Stephen Halas tried to keep their father stocks, asking a Cook County Probate Court judge not to allow the sale.WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-01-21-8803240084-story.html, SON MAKES PLEA TO HOLD BEARS STOCK, Chicago Tribune, January 21, 1988, They failed to block the Chicago Bears from buying their 19.67% ownership of the football team, and sold their share for $17.5 million in 1988.WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-03-10-8804060125-story.html, HALAS HEIRS FAIL TO BLOCK BEARS PURCHASE OF STOCK, Chicago Tribune, March 10, 1988, Bears then-president Michael McCaskey called the purchase a “terrific financial burden”, and the team would later sell those stocks to Chicago-area businessmen Andrew McKenna and Patrick Ryan for undisclosed sum{{efn|At the time it was estimate the Bears received between $20 million to $40 million, but later reports indicate they only got $17 million.}} in 1990.WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1990-06-07-9002170423-story.html, BEARS’ 20-PERCENT STOCK SALE LIFTS MAJOR BURDEN, Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1990, At the time it was also speculate that they invested to help the Bears lobby lawmakers for a domed stadium.WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/ct-spt-0728-bears-chicago-sports-20130728-story.html, McCaskeys intend to hold onto Bears, Chicago Tribune, July 28, 2013, In 2017 the NFL approved a sale of shares from Halas Jr. children (unreported whom or how much) to the McCaskey family for undisclosed sum.WEB,www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/halas-grandchildren-want-to-sell-shares-of-team-to-mccaskeys, Halas grandchildren want to sell shares of team to McCaskeys, NBC Sports, March 27, 2017,Sponsorships
The team has major sponsorship deals with Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Miller Brewing Company, PNC Financial Services, United Airlines, Verizon, Xfinity, and Proven IT.WEB,portal.sliderocket.com/AIRXF/Chicago-Bears-Corporate-Partnerships, Corporate Partners, Chicago Bears, August 13, 2017,portal.sliderocket.com/AIRXF/Chicago-Bears-Corporate-Partnerships," title="web.archive.org/web/20170814134937portal.sliderocket.com/AIRXF/Chicago-Bears-Corporate-Partnerships,">web.archive.org/web/20170814134937portal.sliderocket.com/AIRXF/Chicago-Bears-Corporate-Partnerships, August 14, 2017, dead, WEB,chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/17/dr-pepper-wins-exclusive-sponsorship-rights-with-bears/, Dr. Pepper Wins Exclusive Sponsorship Rights With Bears ” CBS Chicago, WBBM-TV, April 17, 2012, May 11, 2012,chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/17/dr-pepper-wins-exclusive-sponsorship-rights-with-bears/," title="web.archive.org/web/20120521182538chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/17/dr-pepper-wins-exclusive-sponsorship-rights-with-bears/,">web.archive.org/web/20120521182538chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/04/17/dr-pepper-wins-exclusive-sponsorship-rights-with-bears/, May 21, 2012, live, The team was the first in the NFL to have a presenting sponsor, with the 2004 season advertised as “Bears Football presented by BankOne (now Chase)”. Additionally, the Bears have an agreement with WFLD (the Fox owned-and-operated station in Chicago) to broadcast pre-season football games.WEB, Chicago Bears Feel at Home on WFLD-TV, TVWeek,www.tvweek.com/news/2008/04/chicago_bears_feel_at_home_on.php, April 23, 2008,www.tvweek.com/news/2008/04/chicago_bears_feel_at_home_on.php," title="web.archive.org/web/20080828005237www.tvweek.com/news/2008/04/chicago_bears_feel_at_home_on.php,">web.archive.org/web/20080828005237www.tvweek.com/news/2008/04/chicago_bears_feel_at_home_on.php, August 28, 2008, dead,Logos and uniforms
The club has had few official logos throughout their history. When the team was known as the Decatur Staleys in 1920, they used A. E. Staley’s logo as football was intended to help promote the company.WEB,sportslogohistory.com/decatur-staleys-primary-logo, Decatur Staleys Primary Logo, Sports Logo History, March 30, 2018, The first Chicago Bears logo was introduced in 1940, depicting a black bear running with a football. The next logo, introduced in 1946, featured a navy blue bear on top of a football.In 1962, the Bears introduced their trademark “wishbone-C” logo for the first time.WEB, History of the Chicago Bears Logo, Chicago Bears,www.chicagobears.com/history/uniform.jsp, August 1, 2005,www.chicagobears.com/history/uniform.jsp," title="web.archive.org/web/20050520013751www.chicagobears.com/history/uniform.jsp,">web.archive.org/web/20050520013751www.chicagobears.com/history/uniform.jsp, May 20, 2005, dead, Initially white with a black outline, the logo is similar to the “C” long worn on the Cincinnati Reds’ baseball caps, and very closely resembles the University of Chicago Maroons’ “C” logo introduced in 1898. The change in the Bears’ logo was due to the addition of logos on helmets, which professional football teams began adding in the late 1950s and early 1960s.In 2023, the Bears made their primary logo the orange bear head, which was previously their secondary logo since 1999.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/about/brand-guidelines, Brand Guidelines {{!, Chicago Bears Official Website |website=chicagobears.com |access-date=August 11, 2023}} Despite demoting the “C” to a secondary logo, the team will still retain it on their helmets and at the home field’s 50-yard line.NEWS, Smith, Michael David,www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/bears-change-primary-logo-to-bear-head-but-c-will-remain-on-helmet-and-50-yard-line, Bears change primary logo to bear head, but C will remain on helmet and 50-yard line, NBC Sports, August 11, 2023, August 10, 2023, Chicago Bears white logo.png|Primary logo (1962–1973)Chicago Bears logo.svg|Primary logo (1974–2022)Secondary logo (2023–present)Chicago Bears wordmark.svg|Wordmark logo (1974–present) Chicago Bears logo primary.svg|Secondary logo (1999–2022)Primary logo (2023–present)Team culture
Mascots and cheerleaders
(File:Staleythebear.jpg|thumb|right|Staley Da Bear in 2008)Before the 2003 season, the team had two unofficial mascots named “Rocky” and “Bearman”. “Rocky” was a man who donned a #1 Bears jersey, carried a megaphone, and started chants all over Soldier Field during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, in a fashion similar to Fireman Ed. There is no known source of who “Rocky” was, and presumably currently lives in Northwestern Indiana.WEB, Rocky, Bearshistory.com,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx, May 3, 2006,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20060420090157www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20060420090157www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx, April 20, 2006, live, Don Wachter, also known as “Bearman”, is a season ticket holder who decided in 1995 that he could also assist the team by cheerleading, similar to Rocky. The club allowed him to run across the field with a large Bears flag during player introductions and each team score (a role currently done by the Bears 4th Phase and Bears captains). In 1996, he donned his “costume” of face paint, bear head and arms, and a number 46 jersey. “Bearman” was forced to stop wearing his costume with the introduction of Staley Da Bear in 2003; however, in 2005, Wachter was allowed in costume again.WEB, Bearman, Bearshistory.com,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx, May 1, 2006,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20060420090157www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20060420090157www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx, April 20, 2006, live, Staley Da Bear is an anthropomorphic bear with a customized No. 00 jersey, with blue and orange eyes, synonymous with the team’s main colors.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=200, Roster, Chicago Bears, July 6, 2012,www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=200," title="web.archive.org/web/20100618110812www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=200,">web.archive.org/web/20100618110812www.chicagobears.com/team/player.asp?player_id=200, June 18, 2010, dead, His name is eponymous to corn processing company A. E. Staley, who founded the Bears’ franchise. Like Rocky and Bearman, he entertains Bears fans, but like other NFL mascots, and mascots in general, Staley also makes various visits to charity events, parties,WEB,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5495, Staley crashes Bears holiday party, Chicagobears.com, December 29, 2008, July 6, 2012,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5495," title="web.archive.org/web/20091026225336www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5495,">web.archive.org/web/20091026225336www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5495, October 26, 2009, dead, WEB,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6279, Halloween is fun for Bears too, Chicagobears.com, November 6, 2009, July 6, 2012,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6279," title="web.archive.org/web/20100322200650www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6279,">web.archive.org/web/20100322200650www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6279, March 22, 2010, dead, Chicago Rush AFL games, and other Bears-related events, as well as taking part in various games with his “furballs” against youth football teams at halftime.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6451, Furballs foiled again, Chicagobears.com, December 30, 2009, July 6, 2012,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6451," title="web.archive.org/web/20100312083930www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6451,">web.archive.org/web/20100312083930www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=6451, March 12, 2010, dead, WEB,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5533, Staley, friends fall to youth team, Chicagobears.com, January 16, 2009, July 6, 2012,www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5533," title="web.archive.org/web/20100423112224www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5533,">web.archive.org/web/20100423112224www.chicagobears.com/staley/StaleyStory.asp?story_id=5533, April 23, 2010, dead, The team also formerly had their own cheerleading squad called the Chicago Honey Bears, who were formed in 1976. However, Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey terminated them after the 1985 season.WEB, Taylor, Roy,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx/, The Honey Bears and Chicago Bears Mascots, Bearshistory.com, July 6, 2012,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20120704155804www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20120704155804www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagohoneybears.aspx, July 4, 2012, live, The squad’s uniforms have changed 3 times: from 1976 to 1979, the uniform was a white bodysuit with navy blue sleeves, then from 1980 to 1984 it became a white bodysuit, but with orange sleeves and the navy was moved to the trim, and in the squad’s final season in 1985, the uniform was redesigned with an orange sequin vest.WEB,www.chicagohoneybears.net/history.htm, Chicago Honey Bears.net, Chicago Honey Bears.net, July 6, 2012,www.chicagohoneybears.net/history.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20171003225022www.chicagohoneybears.net/history.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20171003225022www.chicagohoneybears.net/history.htm, October 3, 2017, dead,Philanthropy
Since 1998, the Bears have partnered with ‘A Safe Place,’ a domestic violence shelter in Waukegan, Illinois.NEWS,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-volunteer-at-A-Safe-Place-shelter/45a1427c-50e2-48d9-ba47-17723f172398, Bears volunteer at ‘A Safe Place’ shelter, June 26, 2017,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-volunteer-at-A-Safe-Place-shelter/45a1427c-50e2-48d9-ba47-17723f172398," title="web.archive.org/web/20170706151135www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-volunteer-at-A-Safe-Place-shelter/45a1427c-50e2-48d9-ba47-17723f172398,">web.archive.org/web/20170706151135www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-volunteer-at-A-Safe-Place-shelter/45a1427c-50e2-48d9-ba47-17723f172398, July 6, 2017, dead, In June 2017, current and former Bears employees helped with renovations at the shelter by ripping up carpet, painting walls, demolishing a kitchen and building a fence. The Bears have also provided financial support throughout the years.Rivalries
Divisional
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are the Bears’ biggest rivals since their team’s inception in 1920. The Green Bay Packers currently have the lead at 103–95–6,NEWS, Rosenthal, Phil,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-bears-tv-ratings-spt-1022-20161021-story.html, Cubs clobber Bears in Thursday’s TV ratings, Chicago Tribune, October 21, 2016, December 18, 2016,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-bears-tv-ratings-spt-1022-20161021-story.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20161218022815www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-bears-tv-ratings-spt-1022-20161021-story.html,">web.archive.org/web/20161218022815www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-bears-tv-ratings-spt-1022-20161021-story.html, December 18, 2016, live, and the teams have met twice in the postseason. The Bears won the 1941 meeting, 33–14, and eventually defeated the New York Giants in the 1941 NFL Championship Game, and the Packers won the 2011 meeting, 21–14, en route to a Super Bowl XLV win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The teams’ first meeting was a victory for the Bears (known as the Staleys at the time) in 1921 in a shutout, 20–0. The Packers claimed their first win over the Bears in 1925, 14–10. The 1924 matchup (which ended in a 3–0 win for Chicago) was notable for featuring the first-ever ejection of players in a game in NFL history, as Frank Hanny of the Bears and Walter Voss of the Packers were ejected for punching each other.WEB,www.foxsportswisconsin.com/01/21/11/History-is-special-between-old-rivals/landing.html?blockID=395657, History is special between old rivals, Foxsportswisconsin.com, August 3, 2012, May 3, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210503215448/https://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin, live, The rivalry also featured one of the last successful fair catch kicks in 1968, when Bears kicker Mac Percival kicked the game-winning field goal.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8676, Bears shocked Pack with late free kick, Chicagobears.com, March 9, 2012, August 3, 2012, dead,www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8676," title="web.archive.org/web/20120415035631www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8676,">web.archive.org/web/20120415035631www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=8676, April 15, 2012,Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions and Bears have faced off since the Lions’ inception in 1930, when they were known as the Portsmouth Spartans, with the Spartans winning, 7–6, and Chicago winning the second meeting, 14–6. Since then, the Bears have led the series, 99–74–5. The rivalry grew in 1932, when the Bears and Spartans met in the first-ever postseason game in NFL history, with the Bears winning the game 9–0. The game also was known as the first pro “indoor football” game, as the game took place in indoor Chicago Stadium due to a blizzard at the time. The game also started the forward pass.WEB,www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx, History: The First Playoff Game, Profootballhof.com, May 11, 2012,www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20110603232114www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20110603232114www.profootballhof.com/history/decades/1930s/first_playoff_game.aspx, June 3, 2011, live,Minnesota Vikings
Chicago and Minnesota took each other on in the Vikings’ inaugural game, with the Vikings defeating the Bears in a 37–13 rout, and Minnesota currently holds the series lead 60–54–2.Historic
Chicago/St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals
The oldest continuing matchup in the NFL belongs to the Bears and the Arizona Cardinals.WEB, The NFL’s Oldest Rivalry,www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/december-2023/the-nfls-oldest-rivalry/, Chicago magazine, It began as intense intra-city rivalry between the Bears and the Chicago Cardinals, which the Bears were leading 47–19–6 through 1959, when the Cardinals moved to St. Louis. The rivalry’s importance waned further after the Cardinals moved to the Phoenix metropolitan area in 1988. The Bears lead the all-time series 59–28–6. The teams have yet to meet in the playoffs.WEB,sportsteamhistory.com/chicago-cardinals, NFL Cardinals Team History, January 15, 2017, Sports Team History, November 24, 2021, WEB, Eric Meier,k1025.com/bears-packers-not-oldest-rivalry/, No, Bears-Packers Is Not the Oldest Rivalry in the NFL, K102.5 Kalamazoo Radio, November 24, 2021, WEB, Andrew Harner,www.si.com/nfl/Who-Are-the-Arizona-Cardinals-Biggest-Rivals, Who Are the Arizona Cardinals’ Biggest Rivals?, Sports Illustrated, November 24, 2021, WEB, Bill King,www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2019/09/02/Teams-and-League/Cardinals.aspx, Cardinals stake claim: NFL’s oldest franchise has a story to tell, September 2, 2019, Sports Business Journal, November 24, 2021,New York Giants
The Bears and the New York Giants squared off in six NFL championship games, more than any common match-up in either the NFL championship game or Super Bowl. The Bears won four of the six championship games, which included the Sneakers Game that the Giants won in the 1934 NFL Championship Game. The two teams also met in the 1985 and 1990 playoffs, splitting each meeting en route to a Super Bowl championship (Bears in Super Bowl XX, Giants in Super Bowl XXV). The Bears lead the all-time series 36–24–2.NEWS, James Kratch, The history of the Giants-Bears rivalry, from the Sneakers Game to Devin Hester,www.nj.com/giants/2016/11/the_history_of_the_giants-bears_rivalry_from_the_s.html, NJ.com, May 16, 2019, November 15, 2021,San Francisco 49ers
The Bears and San Francisco 49ers were regular foes while both played in the Western Conference. The rilvary grow during the 1980s, as both teams were constant playoff contenders in the NFC. The 49ers currently holds the series lead 35-33-1 and 3–0 in the playoffs.WEB,www.twincities.com/2012/11/18/chicago-bears-49ers-series-is-an-underrated-rivalry/, Chicago Bears: 49ers series is an underrated rivalry, TwinCities.com, November 18, 2012, WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/9-fun-facts-about-bears-49ers-matchup-all-time-history-2021-week-8, 9 fun facts about Bears-49ers matchup, ChicagoBears.com, Under the current NFL scheduling formula, the Bears and 49ers play at least once every four years.WEB, Creating the NFL Schedule,operations.nfl.com/gameday/nfl-schedule/creating-the-nfl-schedule/, NFL Football Operations,Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bears holds historic rivalry with its former NFC Central foe Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Chicago currently holds the series lead 40–21.WEB,www.espn.com/nfl/s/baxter/week7/chitam.html, Baxter Bits: Bears vs. Buccaneers, ESPN, WEB,www.buccaneers.com/news/series-history-buccaneers-vs-bears-16558935, Series History: Buccaneers vs. Bears, Buccaneers.com, Under the current NFL scheduling formula, the Bears and Bucs play at least once every four years.Washington Commanders
Although the teams never played in the same division, the Bears and the Washington Commanders have a historically significant rivalry, dating back to 1932, when the Commanders were located in Boston and were known as the Braves. The rivalry started to heat up in 1937, when Washington drafted quarterback Sammy Baugh and both teams were often met in the NFL Championship Game.WEB, LOVERRO: Old-school Washington-Chicago rivalry once ruled the NFL,www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/oct/4/old-school-washington-chicago-rivalry-once-nfl-bes/, Washington Times, The most memorable game from that era was in 1940, when the Bears set a record by defeating the Commanders 73-0 in the NFL Championship game, to this day, the largest margin of victory in league history.WEB, Bears beat Redskins 73-0 in NFL Championship game,www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bears-beat-redskins-73-0-in-nfl-championship-game, History Channel, WEB, Bears crushed Redskins 73-0 to win 1940 title,www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-crushed-redskins-73-0-to-win-1940-title, ChicagoBears.com, The series regained steam in the 1980s, when both teams were fighting for the NFC supremacy.WEB, NFL Epics Of The Eighties: Chicago Bears Vs Washington Redskins,bleacherreport.com/articles/31882-nfl-epics-of-the-eighties-chicago-bears-vs-washington-redskins, Bleacher Report, Washington holds a slight edge in the all-time series 27-25-1 (2–1 in the playoffs and 2–2 in championship games). Under the current NFL scheduling formula, the Bears and Commanders play at least once every four years.Minor
Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams
The Cleveland/Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams and the Bears played in the same division the 1937 NFL season to the 1969 NFL season (with the 1958 game attracting 100,470 fans, the largest in Bears historyWEB, 9 fun facts about Bears-Rams matchup,www.chicagobears.com/news/9-fun-facts-about-bears-rams-matchup-week-1-2021-sunday-night-football, ChicagoBears.com, ), while the two franchises continue to play annually until the 1980 NFL season.WEB,www.profootballhof.com/blogs/2018/10/blogs-stories-from-the-pro-football-hall-of-fame-archives-bears-rams-rivalry-overheated-70-years-ag/, Bears-Rams rivalry overheated 70 years ago, Pro Football Hall of Fame, From 1995 to 2015 the two teams were part of the Chicago-St. Louis rivalries in the major professional leagues.NEWS, Schneider, Joey, May 9, 2023, Ready for another St. Louis-Chicago sports rivalry? A soccer one starts Tuesday, Fox 2,fox2now.com/sports/stl-city-sc/ready-for-another-st-louis-chicago-sports-rivalry-a-soccer-one-starts-tuesday/, May 14, 2023, Chicago currently holds the series lead 54-39-3 (1–1 in the playoffs). Under the current NFL scheduling formula, the Bears and Rams play at least once every four years.Miami Dolphins
The AFC member Miami Dolphins and the Bears met less than 15 times but most of them were memorable.WEB,bleacherreport.com/articles/520032-chicago-bears-vs-the-miami-dolphins-two-games-to-forget, Chicago Bears vs. Miami Dolphins: Two Games To Forget for Bears Fans, Bleacher Report, The most notable was the 1985 shootout at Monday Night, as Miami handing Chicago their first, and only, regular-season loss for the year, while keeping the 1972 Dolphins as the only perfect team in NFL history.WEB,www.espn.co.uk/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/137545/mnf-moments-no-10-bears-only-85-loss, MNF moments, No. 10: Bears’ only ‘85 loss, ESPN, August 29, 2014, Miami currently holds the series lead 10–4. Under the current NFL scheduling formula, the teams play at least once every four years.Defunct
Chicago had a fierce instate rivalry with the Rock Island Independents in the league first decade, with the Bears winning the series 8–1–4.WEB,theathletic.com/2688366/2021/07/04/once-a-fierce-chicago-bears-rival-what-ever-happened-to-the-nfls-rock-island-independents, Once a fierce Chicago Bears rival, what ever happened to the NFL’s Rock Island Independents?, The Athletic, The Canton/Cleveland Bulldogs and the Staleys/Bears rivalry was between the two NFL’s powerhouses in the 1920s, with games usually attracting the most fans,WEB, The NFL landscape when Canton ruled in 1922-23,www.cantonrep.com/story/sports/2017/08/06/the-nfl-landscape-when-canton/20009755007/, The Canton Repository, en-US, and the outcome often decided the fate of NFL Championship (1921–1924).WEB, Going deep: The best NFL game from every season,www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/going_deep_the_best_nfl_game_from_every_season/s1__29893202#slide_100, Yardbarker, August 28, 2022, The rivalry grow after the 1921 season, when the Staleys star Guy Chamberlin joined the Bulldogs and led them to three consecutive championships, including a tiebreaker win over the Bears in 1924.WEB, Guy Chamberlin; Class of 1965,www.profootballhof.com/players/guy-chamberlin/, Pro Football Hall of Fame, WEB, Staley’s Bears 1920-1921 Berlin Guy “Champ” Chamberlin,www.staleymuseum.com/staleys-bears-20-21/guy-chamberlin/, Staley Museum, December 10, 2015, Chicago won the series 4–3.Facilities
Stadium
(File:Soldier Field, Chicago.jpg|thumb|Soldier Field in 2011, as seen from the lakeshore)Soldier Field, located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, is the current home of the Bears. The Bears moved to Soldier Field in 1971 after outgrowing Wrigley Field, the team’s home for 50 years. After the AFL-NFL Merger, the newly merged league wanted their teams to play in stadiums that could hold at least 50,000 fans. Even with the portable bleachers that the team brought into Wrigley, the stadium could still only hold 46,000.WEB, Soldier Field History, BearsHistory.com,www.bearshistory.com/lore/soldierfieldhistory.aspx, July 16, 2006,bearshistory.com/lore/soldierfieldhistory.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20060618034149bearshistory.com/lore/soldierfieldhistory.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20060618034149bearshistory.com/lore/soldierfieldhistory.aspx, June 18, 2006, live, At first, the Bears were supposed to play at Dyche Stadium (now called Ryan Field), but Northwestern University’s residential neighbors objected, and the agreement was cancelled. The original home of the Bears was Staley Field at Decatur, Illinois, back when the team was known as the Decatur Staleys, before they move to Chicago in 1921.Soldier Field’s playing turf was changed from natural grass to astroturf before the 1971 season, and then back to natural grass in time for the start of the 1988 season. Throughout its history, Soldier Field’s field maintenance has been done by the Chicago Park District (the municipal entity of which the Bears lease the field from) by disparate district employees assigned to it, rather than a permanent team-employed grounds crew, to some controversy among players for its rough surface.NEWS,chicago.suntimes.com/bears/2022/8/13/23304366/bears-soldier-field-chewed-up-turf-preseason-oepner-chiefs-david-canter-game-cancel-arlington-height, NFLPA president on Soldier Field turf: ‘NFL can and should do better’, Finley, Patric, August 13, 2022, Chicago Sun-Times, May 6, 2023, This arrangement caused a lot of disagreements with the city throughout the years, with the Bears attempting to agree on a new stadium since 1986.WEB,www.chicagomag.com/chicago-magazine/august-2020/michael-mccaskey-bears-fired/, Scholar of the Midway, Chicago Magazine, The stadium was the site of the infamous Fog Bowl playoff game between the Bears and Philadelphia Eagles.WEB, Flashback: Eagles fly into fog, NFL.com,www.nfl.com/news/story/7730971, September 28, 2004,www.nfl.com/news/story/7730971," title="web.archive.org/web/20041010040609www.nfl.com/news/story/7730971,">web.archive.org/web/20041010040609www.nfl.com/news/story/7730971, October 10, 2004, live, In 2002, the stadium was closed and rebuilt with only the exterior wall of the stadium being preserved. It was closed on Sunday, January 20, 2002, a day after the Bears lost in the playoffs. It reopened on September 27, 2003, after a complete rebuild (the second in the stadium’s history). Many fans refer to the rebuilt stadium as “New Soldier Field”.WEB, Soldier Field History, ChicagoBears.com,www.chicagobears.com/history/sf_facts.jsp, July 16, 2006, dead,www.chicagobears.com/history/sf_facts.jsp," title="web.archive.org/web/20051205064756www.chicagobears.com/history/sf_facts.jsp,">web.archive.org/web/20051205064756www.chicagobears.com/history/sf_facts.jsp, December 5, 2005, During the {{nfly|2002}} season, the Bears played their home games at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium in Champaign, where they went 3–5.Many critics have negative views of the new stadium. They believe that its current structure has made it more of an eyesore than a landmark; some have dubbed it the “Mistake on the Lake”.WEB, Mistake on the Lake, The Times of Northwest Indiana,www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/09/30/news/top_news/965adf222a1ac3af86256db100030920.prt,www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/09/30/news/top_news/965adf222a1ac3af86256db100030920.prt," title="archive.today/20120913040037www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/09/30/news/top_news/965adf222a1ac3af86256db100030920.prt,">archive.today/20120913040037www.thetimesonline.com/articles/2003/09/30/news/top_news/965adf222a1ac3af86256db100030920.prt, dead, September 13, 2012, September 1, 2003, Soldier Field was stripped of its National Historic Landmark designation on February 17, 2006.WEB, Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties, 4/17/06 through 4/21/06, National Register of Historic Places Listings,www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20060428.HTM, October 18, 2006,www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20060428.HTM," title="web.archive.org/web/20061011083739www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20060428.HTM,">web.archive.org/web/20061011083739www.cr.nps.gov/nr/listings/20060428.HTM, October 11, 2006, live, In the 2005 season, the Bears won the NFC North Division and the No. 2 Seed in the NFC Playoffs, entitling them to play at least one home game in the postseason. The team hosted (and lost) their divisional round match on January 15, 2006, against the Carolina Panthers. This was the first playoff game at Soldier Field since the stadium reopened.The stadium’s end zones and midfield were not painted until the 1982 season.WEB, Bears History “Bits”, Bears History.com,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx, July 16, 2006,bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20060618034229bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20060618034229bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx, June 18, 2006, live, The design sported on the field included the bolded word “Chicago” rendered in Highway Gothic in both end zones. In 1983, the end zone design returned, with the addition of a large wishbone “C” Bears logo painted at midfield. These field markings remained unchanged until the 1996 season.WEB, Bears Midfield Logo, Bears History.com,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx, July 16, 2006,bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20060618034229bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20060618034229bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx, June 18, 2006, live, In 1996 the midfield wishbone “C” was changed to a large blue Bears head, and the end zone design were painted with “Bears” in cursive. This new design remained until the 1999 season, at which point the artwork was returned to the classic “Chicago” and the “C”. In the new Soldier Field, the artwork was tweaked to where one end zone had the word “Chicago” bolded and the other had “Bears”.WEB, New Soldier Field Art, Bears History.com,www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx, July 16, 2006,bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20060618034229bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20060618034229bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearshistorybits.aspx, June 18, 2006, live, In June 2021, the Bears submitted a bid to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Illinois from Churchill Downs.NEWS, Gatto, Tom,www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/bears-soldier-field-arlington-lori-lightfoot/2stmn54avgk41x5txa2zftiq1, Bears use Arlington bid to squeeze Chicago on Soldier Field; mayor says they should focus on getting better, Sporting News, June 17, 2021, October 5, 2021, Despite negotiations between the city of Chicago to upgrade Soldier Field, the Bears entered into an agreement with Churchill Downs to purchase the Arlington International Racecourse in September 2021 for $197.2 million. The sale of the property which includes 326 acres of potential space for development was officially closed on February 15, 2023.WEB, staff, Chicago Tribune, The Arlington Heights Bears? Here’s what to know about the possible move from Soldier Field, with reaction from City Hall to the suburbs.,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/ct-chicago-bears-soldier-field-arlington-heights-liststory-20211001-owp3umg4b5e6nnducymdcldmsa-list.html, October 4, 2021, chicagotribune.com, NEWS, Cronin, Courtney,www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35667384/bears-purchase-326-acre-arlington-park-property-official, Bears’ purchase of 326-acre Arlington Park property official, ESPN, February 15, 2023, February 15, 2023,Training camp locations
From its inception up until 1930 the Staleys/Bears conducted their summer training camp in their home stadiums: Staley Field (Decatur, Illinois) and later Cubs’ Park (Chicago).WEB,www.profootballarchives.com/trainingcamps.html, NFL training camp Sites, Pro Football Archives, In 1930 the first moved to Mills Stadium in Chicago and from 1931 to 1934 at Loyola University Chicago, Logan Square Baseball Park, Notre Dame University and Lane Tech College Prep High School (respectively).WEB, Flashback: Bears first training camp away from Chicago? Notre Dame,www.chicagotribune.com/2015/07/24/flashback-bears-first-training-camp-away-from-chicago-notre-dame/, Chicago Tribune, July 24, 2015, In 1935 they started to conduct their training camps at a prominent location, when they started practicing at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy (Delafield, Wisconsin) for a decade.WEB,www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/chi/training-camps.htm, Chicago Bears Training Camp Locations, Pro Football Reference, In 1944 they moved to St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana and stayed there for 30 years. This location was the place of the famous automobile accident on July 27, 1964 that killed Bears players Willie Galimore and Bo Farrington, after Galimore’s Volkswagen left the road on a curve and rolled, a few miles from the team’s training camp.NEWS,news.google.com/newspapers?id=TsAhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=35wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5213%2C5606806, Reading Eagle, (Pennsylvania), Associated Press, Galimore, Farrington killed in auto crash, July 27, 1964, 19, NEWS,news.google.com/newspapers?id=J_hYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TvcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2378%2C4832466, The Bulletin, (Bend, Oregon), UPI, Bears’ Galimore, Farrington killed, July 27, 1964, 8, NEWS,news.google.com/newspapers?id=T8AhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=35wFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4399%2C5941302, Reading Eagle, (Pennsylvania), Associated Press, Bears to honor crash victims, July 28, 1964, 19, From 1975 to 1984 they conduct their summer training camp in Lake Forest College, at the original Halas Hall (the practice and front office facility for the Bears from 1977 until 1997).WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-09-28-9709280230-story.html, COLLEGE FEELS LOSS OF BEARS, Chicago Tribune, September 28, 1997, The practice field was later renamed Farwell Field and serves as the main field for Foresters football and soccer.From 1984 to 2001, the Bears held pre-season training camp in Ralph E. Davis Pioneer Stadium at University of Wisconsin–Platteville. They were considered a member of the “Cheese League” that in 1999 consisted of the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs, with each team practicing at a different university in Wisconsin.“Bears ponder migration from Wisconsin,” Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal In 2001, the Illinois General Assembly asked the Bears to move to an Illinois practice facility in order to raise funds for remodeling Soldier Field. Before the Bears left, they donated $250,000 to UW–Platteville for a new computer lab, which was named “The Bears Den”.WEB,www.wkow.com/story/13866043/plateville, UW-Platteville reflects on Bears training camps, November 13, 2016, On June 16, 2014, the stadium was damaged by a tornado and the Bears donate $50,000 to the school relief fund.WEB, Erickson, Paul, Chicago Bears to donate $50,000 to tornado relief,www.uwplatt.edu/news/chicago-bears-donate-50000-tornado-relief, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, April 11, 2016, July 10, 2014, From 2002 to 2019, the Bears held their summer training camp at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais. Although the Bears had an agreement to continue practicing at the university through 2022,WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-ONU-reach-nine-year-agreement/8dd0ee74-ad98-4777-8128-e29f2bdfc00a,www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-ONU-reach-nine-year-agreement/8dd0ee74-ad98-4777-8128-e29f2bdfc00a," title="web.archive.org/web/20130816064145www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-ONU-reach-nine-year-agreement/8dd0ee74-ad98-4777-8128-e29f2bdfc00a,">web.archive.org/web/20130816064145www.chicagobears.com/news/article-1/Bears-ONU-reach-nine-year-agreement/8dd0ee74-ad98-4777-8128-e29f2bdfc00a, dead, August 16, 2013, Bears, ONU reach nine-year agreement (Archive), Chicago Bears, August 12, 2013, August 12, 2013, they moved the camp, permanently, into the recently renovated Halas Hall in 2020.WEB, Mayer, Larry,www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-moving-training-camp-back-to-halas-hall, Bears moving training camp back to Halas Hall, Chicago Bears, January 14, 2020, January 14, 2020, File:Halas-hall-bears-2014.jpg|thumb|Halas Hall in Lake Forest, IllinoisLake Forest, IllinoisHeadquarters
The team headquarters, Halas Hall, named after founder George Halas, is in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois. The Bears practice at adjoining facilities there during the season. The location is {{convert|4|mi}} west of the original Halas Hall which opened in 1977, which was named after George Halas Jr., who died unexpectedly in 1979. It was located at Lake Forest College and contained 2 practice fields (one regulation-size outdoor field as well as a 70-yard practice field) and front office facilities,The Official Website of the Chicago Bears, Highlights from the 1990s {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920081541www.chicagobears.com/tradition/history_90s.asp |date=September 20, 2008 }}, chicagobears.com, Retrieved on July 26, 2007. which is now used by the Foresters Athletics Department.WEB, Halas Hall,www.lakeforest.edu/about/ourcampus/tour/halas.php, lakeforest.edu, The 38-acre complex opened on March 3, 1997, and was expanded in 2013 and 2018.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/photos/halas-hall-before-after-12698062#bd0d2af4-3e9a-4ced-ae3e-b9ecbbd5def2, Halas Hall before & after, ChicagoBears.com, The team also has a {{convert|11,000|sqft|m2}} corporate office in downtown Chicago, located at 123 N. Wacker Dr,WEB, Chicago Bears complete downtown office at 123 N. Wacker,www.chicagobears.com/news/chicago-bears-complete-downtown-office-at-123-n-wacker, Chicago Bears, for sales, corporate partnerships and events departments employees.WEB, Bear market: NFL team’s new downtown Chicago office takes work to ‘a whole different level’,www.chicagotribune.com/columns/ryan-ori/ct-biz-chicago-bears-office-tour-ryan-ori-20180914-story.html, Chicago Tribune, September 25, 2018,In popular culture
File:Cna gobears.jpg|thumb|right|The CNA Center in Chicago flashes a “GO BEARS” window display before a Bears Sunday Night Football game.]]While the Super Bowl XX champion Bears were a fixture of mainstream American pop culture in the 1980s, the Bears made a prior mark with the 1971 American TV movie Brian’s Song starring Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers and James Caan as Brian Piccolo. The film told of how Piccolo helped Sayers recover from a devastating knee injury to return to his status as one of the league’s best players, and how Sayers in turn helped the Piccolo family through Brian’s fatal illness.WEB, Brian’s Song (1971), IMDb,www.imdb.com/title/tt0068315/, July 14, 2006,imdb.com/title/tt0068315/," title="web.archive.org/web/20060721114844imdb.com/title/tt0068315/,">web.archive.org/web/20060721114844imdb.com/title/tt0068315/, July 21, 2006, live, WEB, Reel Life: Brian’s Song, ESPN,espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/021004.html, July 14, 2006,espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/021004.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20060508193428espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/021004.html,">web.archive.org/web/20060508193428espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/021004.html, May 8, 2006, live, A 2001 remake of the movie for ABC starred Sean Maher as Piccolo and Mekhi Phifer as Sayers.WEB, Brian’s Song (2001), IMDb,www.imdb.com/title/tt0289873/, July 14, 2006,www.imdb.com/title/tt0289873/," title="web.archive.org/web/20061224152145www.imdb.com/title/tt0289873/,">web.archive.org/web/20061224152145www.imdb.com/title/tt0289873/, December 24, 2006, live, The 1985 team is also remembered for recording the song “The Super Bowl Shuffle”, which reached number forty-one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a Grammy Award.WEB, These records were meant to be broken, Floridan,www.sptimes.com/News/012801/news_pf/Floridian/These_records_were_ma.shtml, January 28, 2001,www.sptimes.com/News/012801/news_pf/Floridian/These_records_were_ma.shtml," title="web.archive.org/web/20171003224710www.sptimes.com/News/012801/news_pf/Floridian/These_records_were_ma.shtml,">web.archive.org/web/20171003224710www.sptimes.com/News/012801/news_pf/Floridian/These_records_were_ma.shtml, October 3, 2017, live, The music video for the song depicts the team rapping that they are “not here to start no trouble” but instead “just here to do the Super Bowl Shuffle”. The team took a risk by recording and releasing the song before the playoffs had even begun, but were able to avoid embarrassment by going on to win Super Bowl XX by a then-record margin of 46–10. That game was one of the most-watched television events in history according to the Nielsen ratings system; the game had a rating of 48.3, ranking it seventh in all-time television history.WEB, Nielsen’s Top 10, Nielsen Ratings,www.nielsenmedia.com/ratings/topnetworktelecasts.htm, July 16, 2006, dead,www.nielsenmedia.com/ratings/topnetworktelecasts.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20060614223609www.nielsenmedia.com/ratings/topnetworktelecasts.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20060614223609www.nielsenmedia.com/ratings/topnetworktelecasts.htm, June 14, 2006, In addition to the “Super Bowl Shuffle“WEB, Remembering the Super Bowl Shuffle, ESPN,sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=katcher/040825, August 1, 2004, dead,sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=katcher%2F040825," title="web.archive.org/web/20120609095526sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=katcher%2F040825,">web.archive.org/web/20120609095526sports.espn.go.com/espn/page3/story?page=katcher%2F040825, June 9, 2012, rap song, the Bears’ success in the 1980s – and especially the personality of head coach Mike Ditka – inspired a recurring sketch on the American sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live, called “Bill Swerski’s Superfans”.WEB, Bill Swerski’s Super Fans, SNL Transcripts,snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml, July 14, 2006,snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml," title="web.archive.org/web/20060619072715snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml,">web.archive.org/web/20060619072715snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml, June 19, 2006, live, The sketch featured Cheers co-star George Wendt, a Chicago native, as host of a radio talk-show (similar in tone to WGN radio’s “The Sportswriters“), with co-panelists Carl Wollarski (Robert Smigel), Pat Arnold (Mike Myers) and Todd O’Connor (Chris Farley). To hear them tell it, “Da Bears” and Coach Ditka could do no wrong. The sketch stopped after Ditka was fired in 1993. The sketch usually showed the panelists chugging beer and eating lots of Polish sausage, and often featured Todd getting so agitated about what was happening with the Bears that he suffered a heart attack, but quickly recovered (through self-administered CPR). The sketch also features the cast predicting unrealistic blowout victories for Bears games.WEB, SNL Super Fans Transcripts, SNL Transcripts,snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml, July 14, 2006,snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml," title="web.archive.org/web/20060619072715snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml,">web.archive.org/web/20060619072715snltranscripts.jt.org/90/90jsuperfans.phtml, June 19, 2006, live, Da Super Fan sketch has not been brought back by SNL, with the exception of a single appearance by Horatio Sanz as a Super Fan for the Cubs on “Weekend Update” in 2003. Outside of SNL, George Wendt reprised his role of Swerski in the opening promo of Super Bowl XL on ABC.On TV shows based in Chicago such as The Bob Newhart Show, Married... with Children, Family Matters, Still Standing, According to Jim, Early Edition and The Bernie Mac Show, the main characters are all Bears fans, and have worn Bears’ jerseys and T-shirts on some occasions. Some episodes even show them watching Bears games. Roseanne is another TV show based in Illinois (albeit not in Chicago itself) to feature the Bears as the consensus household favorite, as ‘Dan Connor’ John Goodman is seen wearing Bears hats in several episodes. That ‘70s Show featured several Bears references, as it was based in Wisconsin, home of the Packers. On one episode while the gang is at a Bears vs. Packers game, Eric comes to the seat in a Walter Payton jersey and is booed by the surrounding Packers fans. In an episode of the Disney Channel show Shake It Up, based in Chicago, recurring character Dina Garcia (Ainsley Bailey) sold scalped Chicago Bears tickets. More recently, Modern Family character Cameron Tucker has been shown as a Bears fan. In an episode of the Disney Channel show “I Didn’t Do It”, based in Chicago, Lindy Watson (Olivia Holt) and Logan Watson (Austin North) try to get a football signed by NFL Hall of Famer Dick Butkus after destroying their fathers Butkus signed ball, Alshon Jeffery also makes a cameo appearance as well.WEB,clutchpoints.com/exclusive-working-with-dick-butkus-actor, EXCLUSIVE: Working with Dick Butkus, the actor, October 6, 2023, Ditka’s success and popularity in Chicago has led him to land analyst roles on various American football pregame shows. Ditka worked for both the NFL on NBC and CBS’s The NFL Today, and he currently works on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown and provided Friday night analysis on the Bears on WBBM-TV’s 2 on Football with former WBBM-TV sports director Mark Malone.WEB, Ditka joins CBS2, WBBM-TV,cbs2chicago.com/pressreleases/local_story_197002133.html, July 14, 2004, dead,cbs2chicago.com/pressreleases/local_story_197002133.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20070214041157cbs2chicago.com/pressreleases/local_story_197002133.html,">web.archive.org/web/20070214041157cbs2chicago.com/pressreleases/local_story_197002133.html, February 14, 2007, He is also the color analyst for all local broadcasts of Bears preseason games. Ditka also co-starred himself alongside actor Will Ferrell in the 2005 comedy film Kicking & Screaming.WEB, Kicking and Screaming (2005), IMDb,www.imdb.com/title/tt0384642/, April 12, 2008,www.imdb.com/title/tt0384642/," title="web.archive.org/web/20080309060542www.imdb.com/title/tt0384642/,">web.archive.org/web/20080309060542www.imdb.com/title/tt0384642/, March 9, 2008, live, Also, Ditka, Dick Butkus, Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, William “Refrigerator” Perry and Brian Urlacher are among Bears figures known for their appearances in TV commercials. Urlacher, whose jersey was among the league’s best-selling in 2002, was featured on Nike commercials with former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.NEWS, Urlacher’s not going anywhere, USA Today,www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bears/2003-06-04-urlacher_x.htm, June 3, 2003, June 4, 2003,www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bears/2003-06-04-urlacher_x.htm," title="web.archive.org/web/20090227042454www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bears/2003-06-04-urlacher_x.htm,">web.archive.org/web/20090227042454www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bears/2003-06-04-urlacher_x.htm, February 27, 2009, live, NEWS, A Different Campaign for Nike, The New York Times,www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/business/media/24adco.html?ex=1392958800&en=7886de57c2852995&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND, February 24, 2004, Stuart, Elliott, February 24, 2004, dead,www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/business/media/24adco.html?ex=1392958800&en=7886de57c2852995&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND," title="web.archive.org/web/20050419112628www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/business/media/24adco.html?ex=1392958800&en=7886de57c2852995&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND,">web.archive.org/web/20050419112628www.nytimes.com/2004/02/24/business/media/24adco.html?ex=1392958800&en=7886de57c2852995&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND, April 19, 2005, In the 1961 Hanna-Barbera animated short “Rah Rah Bear”, Yogi Bear helps the Bears beat the New York Giants.WEB,www.youtube.com/watch?v=llBRDZjUlsU, YouTube Video, YouTube, March 14, 2013,www.youtube.com/watch?v=llBRDZjUlsU," title="web.archive.org/web/20131017180947www.youtube.com/watch?v=llBRDZjUlsU,">web.archive.org/web/20131017180947www.youtube.com/watch?v=llBRDZjUlsU, October 17, 2013, live, The Bears were later depicted in an episode of the 1985 cartoon version of the NBC sitcom Punky Brewster, where the Bears are playing the Green Bay Packers.WEB, It’s Punky Brewster, IMDb,www.imdb.com/title/tt1244308/,www.imdb.com/title/tt1244308/," title="web.archive.org/web/20170210133746www.imdb.com/title/tt1244308/,">web.archive.org/web/20170210133746www.imdb.com/title/tt1244308/, February 10, 2017, live, WEB,www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB5SMrPM0Rw, YouTube Video, YouTube, December 16, 2009,web.archive.org/web/20150521213117/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB5SMrPM0Rw, May 21, 2015, live, Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) from the National Lampoon’s Vacation series appears in some scenes wearing a navy blue with burnt orange scripting Chicago Bears ball cap. He wears the same Chicago Bears cap throughout all four Vacation movies.“Vacation (1983) – Trivia” {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160320191025www.imdb.com/title/tt0085995/trivia?tr0947526 |date=March 20, 2016 }} IMDb.comBroadcast media
Radio
(File:Chicago Bears radio affiliates.png|thumb|right|Map of radio affiliates by tower location, thus WBBM’s location in the western suburbs of Chicago)Currently, WMVP (1000 AM) broadcast Bears games with Jeff Joniak doing the play-by-play, along with color commentator Tom Thayer, who played for the Bears from 1985 to 1992.WEB, Taylor, Roy,www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1985chicagobears.aspx, 1985 Chicago Bears, Bearshistory.com, December 5, 2010,www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1985chicagobears.aspx," title="web.archive.org/web/20070104020759www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1985chicagobears.aspx,">web.archive.org/web/20070104020759www.bearshistory.com/seasons/1985chicagobears.aspx, January 4, 2007, live, Over the years, many Bears play-by-play broadcasters have included play-by-play announcers Jack Brickhouse, Joe McConnell and Wayne Larrivee, and color commentators Hub Arkush, Dick Butkus, Jim Hart and Irv Kupcinet.Spanish radio station WLEY-FM aired the Bears games from 2012 to 2014. Since 2015, WRTO and WVIV-FM air Bears games in Spanish.{|class=“wikitable“! colspan=“3” style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears}};“|Chicago Bears Network Radio affiliatesTelevision
Preseason games air on WFLD (channel 32). The announcers are Adam Amin (play-by-play), Jim Miller (color commentary) and Lou Canellis (sideline reporter). WFLD also carries the majority of the team’s regular season games through the NFL on Fox. Any Bears home games against AFC teams are aired on the CBS O&O station, WBBM-TV, which was the Bears’ unofficial “home” station from 1956 until Fox won the NFC rights in 1995. Sunday Night games are broadcast on WMAQ-TV, the NBC O&O station, with ESPN Monday Night Football games airing either on ESPN or WLS-TV, the ABC affiliate.{|class=“wikitable“! colspan=“3” style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears}};“|Chicago Bears Network Television affiliatesStatistics and records
Patrick Mannelly holds the record for the most seasons in a Bears uniform with 16.WEB, Chicago Bears Team Records, Chicago Bears,org-www.chicagobears.com/history/records.jsp,org-www.chicagobears.com/history/records.jsp," title="web.archive.org/web/20060813223835org-www.chicagobears.com/history/records.jsp,">web.archive.org/web/20060813223835org-www.chicagobears.com/history/records.jsp, August 13, 2006, August 1, 2005, dead, On the other hand, Steve McMichael holds the record for most consecutive games played by a Bear with 191; he accomplished the feat from 1981 to 1993. In second place is Payton, who played 186 games from 1975 to 1987 at running back, a position considered to be conducive to injury, only missing one game in a span of 13 seasons.Kicker Robbie Gould became the Bears’ all-time scoring leader in Week 5 of 2015 seasonWEB, Wagner-McGough, Sean,www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25335908/kicker-robbie-gould-now-holds-bears-franchise-record-for-points-scored, Kicker Robbie Gould now holds Bears franchise record for points scored, CBSSports.com, October 11, 2015, October 11, 2015,www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25335908/kicker-robbie-gould-now-holds-bears-franchise-record-for-points-scored," title="web.archive.org/web/20151119151820www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25335908/kicker-robbie-gould-now-holds-bears-franchise-record-for-points-scored,">web.archive.org/web/20151119151820www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25335908/kicker-robbie-gould-now-holds-bears-franchise-record-for-points-scored, November 19, 2015, live, overtaking placekicker Kevin Butler who previously held the club record for scoring the most points in his ten-year Bear career. He scored 1,116 points as the Bears kicker from 1985 to 1995. He is followed by running back Walter Payton, with 750 points. Payton holds the team record for career rushing yards with 16,726. That was an NFL record until Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys broke it in {{nfly|2002}}. Former Bears running back Matt Forte, who started playing for the Bears in 2008, is the closest to Payton’s record with 6,985 yards. Forte also holds the team’s single season record for rookies in rushing attempts, rushing yards and receptions. Mark Bortz holds the record for most Bear playoff appearances, with 13 between 1983 and 1994, and is followed by Kevin Butler, Dennis Gentry, Dan Hampton, Jay Hilgenberg, Steve McMichael, Ron Rivera, Mike Singletary, and Keith Van Horne, who have each played in 12 playoff games.The 1940 Chicago Bears team holds the record for the biggest margin of victory in an NFL game, including both playoff and regular season games, with a 73–0 victory over the Washington Redskins in the 1940 NFL Championship Game. The largest home victory for the Bears came in a 61–7 result against the Green Bay Packers in 1980. The largest defeat in club history was a 52–0 loss against the Baltimore Colts in 1964. The club recorded undefeated regular seasons in 1934 and 1942; unlike the 1972 Miami Dolphins, however, they did not win the championship game in either season. In 1934, the club completed a 13–0 record but were defeated by the New York Giants, and in 1942 the club completed an 11–0 record but were defeated by the Redskins. Had the Bears won either championship, the club would have completed a championship three-peat – a feat completed only by the Packers (twice), although no team has done it since the AFL-NFL merger.WEB, NFL History, NFL.com,www.nfl.com/history/standings, August 1, 2006,www.nfl.com/history/standings/," title="web.archive.org/web/20061225165438www.nfl.com/history/standings/,">web.archive.org/web/20061225165438www.nfl.com/history/standings/, December 25, 2006, live, Halas holds the team record for coaching the most seasons with 40 and for having the most career victories of 324. Halas’ victories record stood until Don Shula surpassed Halas in {{nfly|1993}}. Ditka is the closest Bears coach to Halas, with 112 career victories. No other Bears coach has recorded over 100 victories with the team.During the 2006 season, return specialist Devin Hester set several kick return records. He currently holds the franchise record for most return yards with 2,261.Chicagobears.comWEB,www.chicagobears.com/team/player40.html, Devin Hester’s NFL Career, October 12, 2010, dead,www.chicagobears.com/team/player40.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20090118090033www.chicagobears.com/team/player40.html,">web.archive.org/web/20090118090033www.chicagobears.com/team/player40.html, January 18, 2009, Received on September 15, 2009 He had six touchdown returns, setting a record for most returns in a single season.Super Bowl.com,WEB,superbowl.com/news/story/9968501, Hester is Chicago’s not-so-secret weapon, January 15, 2014, bot: unknown,superbowl.com/news/story/9968501," title="web.archive.org/web/20070401212655superbowl.com/news/story/9968501,">web.archive.org/web/20070401212655superbowl.com/news/story/9968501, April 1, 2007, Retrieved on February 28, 2007 In 2007, he recorded another six touchdown season from returns. One of the most notable of these returns came on November 12, 2006, when he returned a missed field goal for a 108-yard touchdown.ESPN.com, Hester’s record return pushes Bears past sleeping Giants {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026063626sports.espn.go.com/nfl/recap?gameId=261112019 |date=October 26, 2012 }} Retrieved on March 11, 2007 The record tied former teammate Nathan Vasher’s previous record, which was set almost a year earlier.ESPN.com Page 2, The Damn! Moment of Week 10 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129050403sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=nfl%2Fweek10%2Fdamn-moment |date=November 29, 2014 }} Retrieved on March 11, 2007 Hester set a Super Bowl record as the first player to return an opening kick of a Super Bowl for a touchdown.Yahoo! Sports, Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17 {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104215229sports.yahoo.com/nfl/recap?gid=20070204003 |date=January 4, 2014 }} Retrieved on February 5, 2007 On December 20, 2010, Hester set an NFL record for most touchdowns on a punt or kickoff return with his 14th career return coming against the Minnesota Vikings. In 2011, Hester broke the record for the most punt returns against the Carolina Panthers.In 2012, Charles Tillman set the record for most forced fumbles in a single game with 4 against the Tennessee Titans. Against the Titans, Chicago became the first team in league history to score a touchdown pass, a touchdown run, an interception return for a touchdown, and a blocked kick/punt for a score in the same quarter.WEB,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000089598/article/chicago-bears-win-big-gain-steam-in-nfc-playoff-race, Chicago Bears win big, gain steam in NFC playoff race, National Football League, November 4, 2012, November 4, 2012,www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000089598/article/chicago-bears-win-big-gain-steam-in-nfc-playoff-race," title="web.archive.org/web/20121106090601www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000089598/article/chicago-bears-win-big-gain-steam-in-nfc-playoff-race,">web.archive.org/web/20121106090601www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000089598/article/chicago-bears-win-big-gain-steam-in-nfc-playoff-race, November 6, 2012, live, Tillman and teammate Lance Briggs became the first pair in NFL history to return an interception for a touchdown in consecutive games against the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys.NEWS, Jensen, Sean,blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2012/10/charles_tillman_and_lance_brig.html, Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs enter NFL history books together, Chicago Sun-Times, October 8, 2012, October 12, 2012, dead,blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2012/10/charles_tillman_and_lance_brig.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20121015002843blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2012/10/charles_tillman_and_lance_brig.html,">web.archive.org/web/20121015002843blogs.suntimes.com/bears/2012/10/charles_tillman_and_lance_brig.html, October 15, 2012,Season-by-season results
This is a partial list of the Bears’ last five completed seasons. For the full season-by-season franchise results, see List of Chicago Bears seasons.Note: The Finish, Wins, Losses, and Ties columns list regular season results and exclude any postseason play.{| class=“wikitable”Records
{| class=“wikitable” style="margin:left“! colspan=“4” style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|All-time Bears leadersPlayers of note
{{further|List of Chicago Bears players}}Current roster
{{Chicago Bears roster}}Pro Football Hall of Famers
In the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the Bears have the most enshrined primary members with 32; the club also has had eight Hall of Famers spend a minor portion of their career with the franchise.WEB, Hall of Famers by Team, Pro Football Hall of Fame,www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.jsp, June 7, 2013,www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.jsp," title="web.archive.org/web/20090425201319www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.jsp,">web.archive.org/web/20090425201319www.profootballhof.com/hof/teams.jsp, April 25, 2009, live, Founder, owner, head coach, and player George Halas, halfback Bronko Nagurski, and Red Grange were a part of the original class of inductees in 1963. The franchise saw 14 individuals inducted into the Hall of Fame from 1963 to 1967. Offensive tackle Jim Covert and defensive end Ed Sprinkle are the most recent Chicago Bear inductees, both being inducted as seniors as part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s centennial class of 2020.WEB,www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/ct-chicago-bears-jimbo-covert-hall-of-fame-20200115-5r74vv5pyrhfzcs2bf4izbh2xi-story.html, Jimbo Covert and Ed Sprinkle selected to Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Bears now have 30 members—the most of any team, Biggs, Brad, January 15, 2020, Chicago Tribune, January 15, 2020, January 15, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200115224246/https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/bears/ct-chicago-bears-jimbo-covert-hall-of-fame-20200115-5r74vv5pyrhfzcs2bf4izbh2xi-story.html, live, In 2023 Chuck Howley, who only played minor portion of his career with the Bears, was elected as a Seniors candidate.WEB, February 9, 2023, Whole lot of defense joins Joe Thomas in Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023,sports.yahoo.com/whole-lot-defense-joins-joe-034022501.html, sports.yahoo.com, In addition, Ray Bray was enshrined in Helms Athletic Foundation Pro Football Hall of Fame, which was established in 1950 and preceded the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He’s the only Bears member from the Helms Athletic Foundation hall to not be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame
The Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 1979 and honors sports greats associated with the Chicago metropolitan area.WEB,www.illinoisadventuretv.org/index.asp?page%3Dst%26site%3D1104, Illinois Adventure - Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame, December 2, 2008, dead,www.illinoisadventuretv.org/index.asp?page=st&site=1104," title="web.archive.org/web/20110716143927www.illinoisadventuretv.org/index.asp?page=st&site=1104,">web.archive.org/web/20110716143927www.illinoisadventuretv.org/index.asp?page=st&site=1104, July 16, 2011, As of 2023, there are 59 honorees enshrined in the hall with connection to the Bears.WEB,chicagolandsportshalloffame.com/hall-of-famers/, Hall of Famers, Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame,Retired numbers
The Bears have retired 14 uniform numbers, which is the most in the NFL, and ranks fourth behind the basketball Boston Celtics (23), baseball New York Yankees (21), and hockey Montreal Canadiens (15) for the most in major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. The Bears retired Mike Ditka’s number 89 jersey on December 9, 2013.NEWS, Mayer, Larry, Bears to retire Mike Ditka’s number,www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-to-retire-mike-ditka-s-number-12072210, NFL Enterprises, LLC, ChicagoBears.com, December 7, 2013, January 24, 2021, live, January 30, 2021,web.archive.org/web/20210130103552/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-to-retire-mike-ditka-s-number-12072210, It is the last number that the Bears retired.NEWS, Brad, Biggs, Ditka’s 89 final number Bears will retire, May 24, 2013, Chicago Tribune, {{Chicago Bears retired numbers}}Top 100 greatest Bears of all-time
In honor of the team’s centennial anniversary, on May 20, 2019, the Chicago Bears unveiled the Top 100 players in franchise history, as voted on by Hall of Fame writers Don Pierson and Dan Pompei, two of the most famous journalists that have ever covered the club in their long history.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/ranking-best-bears-of-all-time-nos-1-25, Ranking best Bears of all time, April 16, 2020, July 27, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200727215421/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/ranking-best-bears-of-all-time-nos-1-25, live, At the time of the publish, the list included 27 Pro Football Hall of Famers, while two more inductees would join in the 2020 Centennial class (Jim Covert and Ed Sprinkle).Among the 100 Greatest, four active players made the list, including safety Eddie Jackson (96), defensive lineman Akiem Hicks (75), offensive lineman Kyle Long (74) and Khalil Mack (60), who had only played only one season with the team at the time of the unveiling of the list. Long would retire the following year.On a later date, Chicagobears.com released a list titled “Top 10: Best of the rest” that featured the “top 10 snubs” from the centennial list. The players include (in a following order): Alex Brown, Thomas Jones, Dave Whitsell, Curtis Conway, Tim Jennings, Leslie Frazier, Roberto Garza, Marty Booker, Nathan Vasher and William Perry.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/photos/top-10-best-of-the-rest, Top 10: Best of the rest, April 16, 2020, July 27, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200727210513/https://www.chicagobears.com/photos/top-10-best-of-the-rest, live, Pompei would later say that the last two players who didn’t make the list were Brown and Frazier.WEB, Pompei: How did we put together the Bears 100 list you’re arguing about?,theathletic.com/992091/2019/05/23/pompei-how-did-we-put-together-the-bears-100-list-youre-arguing-about/, The Athletic, {{col-begin|width=auto}}{{col-break}}{| class=“wikitable” style="text-align: center;”All-Time Team
During the week of June 3, 2019, the All-Time Team was announced in parts each day starting with the All-Time defensive players,WEB,www.chicagobears.com/photos/bears-centennial-scrapbook-all-time-defensive-team, Bears Centennial Scrapbook: all-time defensive team, June 6, 2020, June 6, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200606160603/https://www.chicagobears.com/photos/bears-centennial-scrapbook-all-time-defensive-team, live, followed by the All-Time specialistsWEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/hester-highlights-specialists-on-all-time-team, Hester highlights specialists on all-time team, June 6, 2020, July 27, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200727205039/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/hester-highlights-specialists-on-all-time-team, live, and then the All-Time offensive players.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/photos/bears-centennial-scrapbook-all-time-offensive-team, Bears Centennial Scrapbook: all-time offensive team, June 6, 2020, July 27, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200727210107/https://www.chicagobears.com/photos/bears-centennial-scrapbook-all-time-offensive-team, live, Bold indicates those elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Larry Mayer of the Chicagobears.com would later state, that according to the voters “if they had included a long-snapper on the team it would have been Patrick Mannelly”.WEB,www.chicagobears.com/news/chalk-talk-do-london-games-help-or-hurt, Chalk Talk: Do London games help or hurt?, June 6, 2020, June 6, 2020,web.archive.org/web/20200606160601/https://www.chicagobears.com/news/chalk-talk-do-london-games-help-or-hurt, live,Offense{| class“wikitable” style@text-align:center”
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Position!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Player!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Tenure!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Honors*- 4× NFL champion (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946)
- NFL Most Valuable Player (1943)
- NFL 1940s All-Decade Team
- Chicago Bears No. 42 retired
- NFL MVP ({{nfly|1955}})
- Super Bowl champion (XX)
- NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
- NFL champion (1963)
- Sporting News 1950’s All-Decade Team
- 3× NFL champion (1940, 1941, 1943)
- NFL 1930s All-Decade Team
- Sports Illustrated 1940s All-Decade Team
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
- 4× NFL champion (1940, 1941, 1943, 1946)
- NFL 1940s All-Decade Team
- Chicago Bears No. 66 retired
Defense{| class“wikitable” style@text-align:center”
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Position!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Player!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Tenure!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Honors*- Super Bowl champion (XX)
- Super Bowl MVP (XX)
- Super Bowl champion (XX)
- NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
- Super Bowl champion (XX)
- PFR 1980’s All-Decade Team
- 3× NFL champion (1940, 1941, 1946)
- NFL 1940s All-Decade Team
- Chicago Bears No. 5 retired
- Super Bowl champion (XX)
- PFR 1980’s All-Decade Team
Special teams{| class“wikitable” style@text-align:center”
!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Position!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Player!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Tenure!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Chicago Bears|border=2}};“|Honors*- 3× Special Teams Player of the Year (2006, 2007, 2010)
- NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (PR)
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team (KR)
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
- As a Chicago Bear
Coaching staff
{{For|a more in-depth look into the history of the head coaches of the Bears|List of Chicago Bears head coaches}}{{Chicago Bears staff}}Minor league affiliates
Although the NFL never had a formal farm system, contrary to the four other major sports leagues in North America, over the years some teams had “independent” minor affiliates throughout their existence. The Bears, along with the New York Giants, were at the forefront of those endeavors when in 1939 Halas purchased the American Association’s Newark Tornadoes and renamed them the “Bears”.NEWS, Gill, Bob, Nothing minor about it: The American Association/AFL of 1936–50,www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/12-02-398.pdf, The Coffin Corner, December 1, 1990, Halas stocked the team with talent that did not make the Chicago roster, and used the club to incubate talent and for easy return for injured players, thus making it pro football’s first true farm team.WEB,www.njsportsheroes.com/football.history.html, Football.History, www.njsportsheroes.com, Newark’s most notable names included Joe Zeller as coach and Gene Ronzani (that year Chicago also assigned Sid Luckman to Newark playoff game, which the Bears won 13–6, to win the Southern Division title). This practice continued sporadically until 1972, and ended with the collapse of several minor leagues along with the NFL labor disputes in the 1970s.WEB, History,www.nflplayers.com/about-us/History/, NFL Players Association,www.nflplayers.com/About-us/History/," title="web.archive.org/web/20101011092613www.nflplayers.com/About-us/History/,">web.archive.org/web/20101011092613www.nflplayers.com/About-us/History/, October 11, 2010, October 2, 2011, Other notable players assigned includes: George Gulyanics, Ed Ecker, Lloyd Reese, Raymond Schumacher, Jack Karwales and Doug McEnulty.{| class=“wikitable” style="text-align:center”References
{{Reflist}}Sources
- BOOK, Taylor, Roy, Chicago Bears History, Arcadia Publishing (SC), 2004, 978-0-7385-3319-3,
Notes
{{notelist}}External links
{{commons}}- {{Official website}}
- Chicago Bears at the National Football League official website
- Chicago Bears at ESPN.com
- Chicago Bears at the Chicago Tribune
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