The three commissioners’ staff met for more than five hours to come to an agreement on the market value of the 326-acre site, ultimately landing at $124,691,296. The value is for one year, taxed at the commercial rate of 25%, rather than the vacant rate of 10% that the Bears wanted after demolishing the buildings on the property. That taxing rate was set because the buildings were still on the site through December, officials said.

At a hearing last month, an attorney for the Bears contended last month that the property should be valued at $60 million after the team submitted two appraisals, one placing the value at $60 million and the other at $71 million. At the same hearing, an attorney for three suburban school districts – which rely on property taxes for their funding and intervened in the Bears’ appeal – argued the property is worth $160 million.

That left a $100 million gap between the two sides, who negotiated for months but were given a deadline of Feb. 17 to reach a deal. They were unable to come to an agreement, putting the decision back in the hands of the Board of Review.

The Bears purchased the site that once housed the Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million in February 2023, looking to build a multi-billion dollar stadium development on the site with restaurants, stores, a hotel, residential real estate and more.

As the Bears moved to buy the site, during the triennial reassessment, the Cook County Assessor’s office increased the value of the property from $33 million to $197 million. That would have hiked the tax bill proportionally, nearly six-fold. The Bears’ attorney argued that increase amounted to “sales chasing,” in violation of state law.

Because property taxes in Cook County lag by a year, the former owner Churchill Downs was on the hook for that first bill at the higher value. Churchill Downs negotiated a one-year deal with the school districts for a $95 million value. The assessor’s office then raised the value again to $192 million and the Bears appealed once more.

After failing to reach a deal with the school districts by Saturday’s deadline, the Bears’ attorney sent a letter kicking the decision back to the Board of Review, asking them to consider several factors: the previous settlement value of $95 million, the Bears’ demolition of the buildings on the property, as well as similar commercial real estate sales.

Chicago Bears Jan 30

Bears, suburban school districts $100M apart in valuations of Arlington Heights site

Chicago Bears Jun 2, 2023

The Chicago Bears' Battle Over Arlington Heights Property Taxes, Explained

Commissioner Samantha Steele said her team reached a value of $138 million.

“We looked at comparable sales over the past two years, we analyzed the appraisals, we looked at the sales submitted in both appraisals and we looked at what assets were left,” Steele said, adding that she felt the attorneys on both sides had substantial arguments. “I always say, value, it’s an opinion. Us appraisers are taught it’s an opinion of value and so while you may have one opinion, I could have another – generally they should be somewhere in the ballpark.”

Now that the Board of Review has reached a value, it will be sent back to the assessor’s office for certification by the end of the month. Once the value is certified, the Bears or the school districts could appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board or file a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County, though both would likely be lengthy processes.

The Bears have long said they needed property tax “certainty” before developing the site, which would be a years-long process, and that their purchase of the land was not a guarantee that they would build.

The property tax dispute has helped put the possibility of the team staying within the city of Chicago back on the table, as they’ve since reopened conversations with the administration of Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office after the Bears bought the northwest suburban site.

Representatives for both the Bears and the three school districts declined to comment Wednesday.

Amid the ongoing dispute, the Board of Review on Wednesday informed both the Bears and the districts that it let the Cook County Assessor’s valuation of the 326-acre property stand at $192 million, which would roughly quintuple the team’s property tax bill.

The Bears bought that property that once housed the former Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million in February 2023, aiming to build a multi-billion dollar stadium development on the site with restaurants, retail, residential real estate and more.

Meanwhile, as part of the triennial reassessment, the Assessor’s Office increased the value of the property from $33 million to $197 million. Property taxes in Cook County lag by a year, leaving former owner Churchill Downs on the hook for the first bill at the higher value. Churchill Downs appealed to the Board of Review, then negotiated a one-year agreement with the school districts, which rely on property taxes for their funding and intervened in the appeal, for a $95 million value.

The responsibility for the bill then shifted to the Bears, who continued to negotiate with the districts.

At a January 30 Board of Review hearing on the issue, the Bears’ attorney said the team submitted two appraisals, one for $60 million and the other for $71 million. The Bears’ lawyer argued the Assessor’s Office inflated the value of the land relative to other, similarly sized sales, asking the Board of Review to reduce the value to $60 million.  

In that same hearing, the school districts’ attorney said the appraisal they submitted found the site to be worth $160 million, leaving a $100 million gap between the two sides.

In allowing the Assessor’s $192 million value to stand earlier in the week, the Board of Review gave the two sides until Saturday to reach an agreement.

But in a letter obtained by NBC 5 Investigates, the team’s attorney on Friday kicked the decision back to the Board of Review, asking the three commissioners to consider several factors: the previous settlement value of $95 million, the Bears’ demolition of the 86 buildings on the property, similar commercial real estate sales and more.

The Board of Review is expected to reach a decision on the value next week. The value is then slated to be sent to the Assessor’s Office for certification around the end of the month.

Once the value is certified, if a settlement hasn’t been reached, the Bears could appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board or file a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County, though both would likely be lengthy processes.

“If the Bears want Arlington Heights to happen, I think they’re going to have to budge way further than they want to,” NBC Sports Chicago’s Bears Insider Josh Schrock said.

The Bears have long said — even as they purchased the site — that they needed property tax “certainty” before they can build. And the battle over the property taxes has put the possibility of staying within the city of Chicago back on the table, as the team has reopened the conversation with Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office after the Bears purchased the Arlington Heights property.

“I think the stagnation in the talks between the school districts and the Bears can only tell you that the Bears are at least really considering trying to find a way to stay in the city,” Schrock said. “I think there’s more momentum that way now than there was a year ago.”

Chicago Bears Jan 30

Bears, suburban school districts $100M apart in valuations of Arlington Heights site

Chicago Bears Jun 2, 2023

The Chicago Bears' Battle Over Arlington Heights Property Taxes, Explained

“This is all part of the long, slow dance that many of us expected between the Bears and their next home,” said longtime Bears commentator David Haugh.

“It’s essentially: Who is going to blink first? And I believe the Bears are wanting people to think they’re prepared to wait, to wait it out,” Haugh said.

“Why did the Bears get in this position to begin with? They wanted to own their own stadium. That’s how you get ahead as an NFL owner. The McCaskeys want to be able to keep the money they make at their own stadium,” he added. “This is a game of leverage.”

“Once they get it all built, they’re going to make that money back in concerts and tourism and should they ever want to sell the team, the valuation is going to go through the roof because you have all of that land,” Schrock said. “I think in the end it’s just going to be: how much do the Bears value that? And are they willing to eat a little bit upfront for the pay down the road?”

Representatives for the school districts and a spokesman for the Bears did not respond Saturday to requests for comment on the failure to reach a deal.

The Cook County Board of Review informed the team Wednesday of its decision to leave the property’s value at $192 million, which would roughly quintuple their tax bill owed on the property.

That decision puts heightened pressure on the Bears and three area school districts, which rely on those property taxes for their funding, to reach an agreement in their ongoing negotiations over exactly how much that 326-acre site is worth.

The Bears bought that property that once housed the former Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million, aiming to build a multi-billion dollar stadium development on the site with restaurants, retail, residential real estate and more.

Here is a timeline of the team’s project in Arlington Heights, as well as a full update on what the Cook County Assessor’s Office decided this week.

June 17, 2021 – Bears submit bid to buy Arlington Park

Then-Bears CEO and Team President Ted Phillips announced that the team had submitted a bid to buy Arlington Park from Churchill Downs, saying the team could “further evaluate the property and its potential.”

June 23, 2021 – Bears zoning change approved by Arlington Heights Board

The Arlington Heights Village Board allowed the Bears to clear a procedural hurdle, voting to approve a zoning overlay that would potentially permit construction of a stadium on the Arlington Park site.*

That project would still need further approval from the county board.

*= The headline previously read that the stadium project itself had been approved, a step that has not been taken at this time. We have corrected the headline to accurately reflect the vote.

October 20, 2021 – Bears, Arlington Heights begin zoning talks

Despite efforts by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot to keep the Bears in Chicago, the team begins talks with Arlington Heights on local zoning and approval processes.

August 5, 2022 – Proposed ordinance aims to leave Arlington Heights taxpayers off the hook

A proposed ordinance opposed by the village’s mayor aims to ensure that Arlington Heights taxpayers are left off the hook for any development related to the Bears’ relocation efforts.

September 6, 2022 – Plans for Bears stadium at Arlington Park unveiled

Ahead of a community meeting later that week, plans for a Chicago Bears stadium at Arlington Park were unveiled to the public. The renderings showcased a nearby hotel, restaurants and parks, aiming to surround the stadium with a community space.

September 8, 2022 – Bears reveal that planned stadium would include a roof

Integral to the team’s aspirations of having a stadium capable of hosting a Super Bowl, the Bears revealed that the planned stadium would include a permanent roof.

Then-President Ted Phillips expressed concerns over the cost and maintenance of a retractable roof when making the announcement.

Chicago Bears Jan 30

Bears, suburban school districts $100M apart in valuations of Arlington Heights site

Chicago Bears Jun 2, 2023

The Chicago Bears' Battle Over Arlington Heights Property Taxes, Explained

November 7, 2022 – ‘Master plan’ revealed for Bears’ stadium, surrounding area

Graphics and renderings of a “master plan” for the Arlington Park site are released, showcasing everything from shops and hotels to the stadium and public transportation access in a 31-page document.

November 8, 2022 – Bears, Arlington Heights agree to pre-development plan

The Village of Arlington Heights approved a pre-development plan for the 326-acre site, agreeing with the Bears on the framework and construction potential of the land.

January 12, 2023 – Bears hire Kevin Warren as Team President/CEO

Taking over for Ted Phillips and coming back to the NFL after a few years spent as the Big Ten Commissioner, Kevin Warren was named as the new Team President and CEO for the Chicago Bears.

Warren’s notable previous experience was highlighted by 15 seasons spent with the rival Minnesota Vikings, including five seasons as the Chief Operating Officer from 2015 to 2019.

March 29, 2023 – Still no timeline for construction at Arlington Park

Despite closing on the property over a month earlier, Bears chairman George McCaskey and incoming Team President Kevin Warren said that there was still no timeline for construction to begin.

Warren and McCaskey added that they were in “no rush” to get started, adding that the team would plan extensively ahead of breaking ground.

June 2, 2023 – Bears announce Arlington Heights ‘no longer our singular focus’ while Naperville mayor submits a pitch

In a stunning reversal just days after it appeared some progress was being made, the Bears announced that pursuing a stadium in Arlington Heights was no longer the singular focus of the club.

The shift came after the Bears saw major differences between their valuations of the property and the values from the Cook County Assessor.

The team said it was committed to listening to proposals from other municipalities, while Mayor Hayes said that the village expected the Bears to explore other opportunities.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held between Warren and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli to discuss the possibility of the Bears building a new home in the western suburb that approximately 150,000 Illinoisans call home.

July 27, 2023 – Kevin Warren, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issue joint statement on talks

With stadium plans in flux, Kevin Warren and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a joint statement, indicating the two sides were still in communication as uncertainty grew over the Arlington Heights site.

“We continued our productive discussion this week that began in early June,” the brief statement read. “We plan to have regular dialogue with each other, and across our respective staffs, as we work together to meet the needs of the citizens of Chicago and Bears fans.”

January 6, 2024 – Warren teases to stadium update in next ‘couple of months’

Toward the end of the 2023 NFL season, Kevin Warren told fans that concrete progress was being made for a new stadium, with an update just a couple of months away.

“I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made and I’m just happy to finish strong this season, looking forward to the game this weekend and continue making progress on the stadium,” Warren said.

February 2, 2024 – Bears reportedly shift focus back to Chicago

In a stunning reversal of earlier plans, a report from Crain’s Chicago Business states that the Bears’ goal is now to construct a stadium south of Soldier Field.

The report states that the stadium would be financed thanks to a bonding clause in the law that governs the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. To ease possible difficulties with building on the lakefront, Hinz suggests that Soldier Field would be converted to public parks and athletic fields.

Feb. 14, 2024: Cook County Assessor’s Office Upholds Valuation on Arlington Heights Property

Meanwhile, as part of the triennial reassessment, the Cook County Assessor’s Office increased the value of the property from $33 million to $197 million. Property taxes in Cook County lag by a year, leaving former owner Churchill Downs on the hook for the first bill at the higher value. Churchill Downs negotiated a one-year agreement with the school districts, which intervened in the appeal, for a $95 million value. The responsibility for the bill then shifted to the Bears, who now continue to negotiate with the districts.

At a January 30 Board of Review hearing on the issue, the Bears’ attorney said the team submitted two appraisals, one for $60 million and the other for $71 million. The Bears’ lawyer argued the Assessor’s Office inflated the value of the land relative to other, similarly sized sales, asking the Board of Review to reduce the value to $60 million.  

In that same hearing, the school districts’ attorney said the appraisal they submitted found the site to be worth $160 million, leaving a $100 million gap between the two sides. The Board of Review’s period to accept a settlement closes Saturday, with the valuation slated to be sent to the assessor’s office for certification at the end of the month.

Once the value is certified, if a settlement hasn’t been reached, the Bears could appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board or file a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County, though both would likely be lengthy processes.

“If the Bears want Arlington Heights to happen, I think they’re going to have to budge way further than they want to,” NBC Sports Chicago’s Bears Insider Josh Schrock said.

The Bears have long said — even as they purchased the site — that they needed property tax “certainty” before they can build. And the battle over the property taxes has put the possibility of staying within the city of Chicago back on the table, as the team has reopened the conversation with Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office after the Bears purchased the Arlington Heights property.

“I think the stagnation in the talks between the school districts and the Bears can only tell you that the Bears are at least really considering trying to find a way to stay in the city,” Schrock said. “I think there’s more momentum that way now than there was a year ago.”

“This is all part of the long, slow dance that many of us expected between the Bears and their next home,” said longtime Bears commentator David Haugh.

“It’s essentially: Who is going to blink first? And I believe the Bears are wanting people to think they’re prepared to wait, to wait it out,” Haugh said.

“Why did the Bears get in this position to begin with? They wanted to own their own stadium. That’s how you get ahead as an NFL owner. The McCaskeys want to be able to keep the money they make at their own stadium,” he added. “This is a game of leverage.”

“Once they get it all built, they’re going to make that money back in concerts and tourism and should they ever want to sell the team, the valuation is going to go through the roof because you have all of that land,” Schrock said. “I think in the end it’s just going to be: how much do the Bears value that? And are they willing to eat a little bit upfront for the pay down the road?”

When reached for comment on the Board of Review’s decision, a spokesman for the Bears referred back to the comments the team’s attorney made during the hearing last month.

A spokesman for the school districts declined to comment.  

That decision puts heightened pressure on the Bears and three area school districts, which rely on those property taxes for their funding, to reach an agreement in their ongoing negotiations over exactly how much that 326-acre site is worth.

The Bears bought that property that once housed the former Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million in February 2023, aiming to build a multi-billion dollar stadium development on the site with restaurants, retail, residential real estate and more.

Meanwhile, as part of the triennial reassessment, the Cook County Assessor’s Office increased the value of the property from $33 million to $197 million. Property taxes in Cook County lag by a year, leaving former owner Churchill Downs on the hook for the first bill at the higher value. Churchill Downs negotiated a one-year agreement with the school districts, which intervened in the appeal, for a $95 million value. The responsibility for the bill then shifted to the Bears, who now continue to negotiate with the districts.

At a January 30 Board of Review hearing on the issue, the Bears’ attorney said the team submitted two appraisals, one for $60 million and the other for $71 million. The Bears’ lawyer argued the Assessor’s Office inflated the value of the land relative to other, similarly sized sales, asking the Board of Review to reduce the value to $60 million.  

In that same hearing, the school districts’ attorney said the appraisal they submitted found the site to be worth $160 million, leaving a $100 million gap between the two sides. The Board of Review’s period to accept a settlement closes Saturday, with the valuation slated to be sent to the assessor’s office for certification at the end of the month.

Once the value is certified, if a settlement hasn’t been reached, the Bears could appeal to the Property Tax Appeal Board or file a complaint in the Circuit Court of Cook County, though both would likely be lengthy processes.

“If the Bears want Arlington Heights to happen, I think they’re going to have to budge way further than they want to,” NBC Sports Chicago’s Bears Insider Josh Schrock said.

The Bears have long said — even as they purchased the site — that they needed property tax “certainty” before they can build. And the battle over the property taxes has put the possibility of staying within the city of Chicago back on the table, as the team has reopened the conversation with Mayor Brandon Johnson, who took office after the Bears purchased the Arlington Heights property.

Chicago Bears Jan 30

Bears, suburban school districts $100M apart in valuations of Arlington Heights site

Chicago Bears Jun 2, 2023

The Chicago Bears' Battle Over Arlington Heights Property Taxes, Explained

“I think the stagnation in the talks between the school districts and the Bears can only tell you that the Bears are at least really considering trying to find a way to stay in the city,” Schrock said. “I think there’s more momentum that way now than there was a year ago.”

“This is all part of the long, slow dance that many of us expected between the Bears and their next home,” said longtime Bears commentator David Haugh.

“It’s essentially: Who is going to blink first? And I believe the Bears are wanting people to think they’re prepared to wait, to wait it out,” Haugh said.

“Why did the Bears get in this position to begin with? They wanted to own their own stadium. That’s how you get ahead as an NFL owner. The McCaskeys want to be able to keep the money they make at their own stadium,” he added. “This is a game of leverage.”

“Once they get it all built, they’re going to make that money back in concerts and tourism and should they ever want to sell the team, the valuation is going to go through the roof because you have all of that land,” Schrock said. “I think in the end it’s just going to be: how much do the Bears value that? And are they willing to eat a little bit upfront for the pay down the road?”

When reached for comment on the Board of Review’s decision, a spokesman for the Bears referred back to the comments the team’s attorney made during the hearing last month.

A spokesman for the school districts declined to comment.  

The tumultuous fiasco that has gone on for nearly three years has seen the team buy the property at Arlington Park, oversee the demolition of the nearly century-old horse race track and face steep differences with local officials on the valuation of the property.

With the Bears reportedly looking to stay in Chicago after all, here’s a deeper look into the wild ride of the past few years, where the future of one of the NFL’s most storied franchises has unpredictably shifted time after time.

June 17, 2021 – Bears submit bid to buy Arlington Park

Then-Bears CEO and Team President Ted Phillips announced that the team had submitted a bid to buy Arlington Park from Churchill Downs, saying the team could “further evaluate the property and its potential.”

June 23, 2021 – Bears approved to build stadium by Arlington Heights Board

The Arlington Heights Village Board allowed the Bears to clear a mostly procedural hurdle, voting to approve a zoning overlay that allows the team to build a football stadium at the Arlington Park site.

October 20, 2021 – Bears, Arlington Heights begin zoning talks

Despite efforts by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot to keep the Bears in Chicago, the team begins talks with Arlington Heights on local zoning and approval processes.

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August 5, 2022 – Proposed ordinance aims to leave Arlington Heights taxpayers off the hook

A proposed ordinance opposed by the village’s mayor aims to ensure that Arlington Heights taxpayers are left off the hook for any development related to the Bears’ relocation efforts.

September 6, 2022 – Plans for Bears stadium at Arlington Park unveiled

Ahead of a community meeting later that week, plans for a Chicago Bears stadium at Arlington Park were unveiled to the public. The renderings showcased a nearby hotel, restaurants and parks, aiming to surround the stadium with a community space.

September 8, 2022 – Bears reveal that planned stadium would include a roof

Integral to the team’s aspirations of having a stadium capable of hosting a Super Bowl, the Bears revealed that the planned stadium would include a permanent roof.

Then-President Ted Phillips expressed concerns over the cost and maintenance of a retractable roof when making the announcement.

November 7, 2022 – ‘Master plan’ revealed for Bears’ stadium, surrounding area

Graphics and renderings of a “master plan” for the Arlington Park site are released, showcasing everything from shops and hotels to the stadium and public transportation access in a 31-page document.

November 8, 2022 – Bears, Arlington Heights agree to pre-development plan

The Village of Arlington Heights approved a pre-development plan for the 326-acre site, agreeing with the Bears on the framework and construction potential of the land.

January 12, 2023 – Bears hire Kevin Warren as Team President/CEO

Taking over for Ted Phillips and coming back to the NFL after a few years spent as the Big Ten Commissioner, Kevin Warren was named as the new Team President and CEO for the Chicago Bears.

Warren’s notable previous experience was highlighted by 15 seasons spent with the rival Minnesota Vikings, including five seasons as the Chief Operating Officer from 2015 to 2019.

February 15, 2023 – Bears officially close on Arlington International Racecourse property

The long-planned purchase is made official as the Bears close on the property at Arlington International Racecourse, but cautioned fans that the purchase did not guarantee the development of a new stadium.

March 29, 2023 – Still no timeline for construction at Arlington Park

Despite closing on the property over a month earlier, Bears chairman George McCaskey and incoming Team President Kevin Warren said that there was still no timeline for construction to begin.

Warren and McCaskey added that they were in “no rush” to get started, adding that the team would plan extensively ahead of breaking ground.

May 29, 2023 – Arlington Heights mayor says ‘ball rolling,’ but stadium plans remain far from set

With demolition work underway at the Arlington International Racecourse, Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes said that while the ball was rolling between the two sides, stadium plans remained far from official.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to build a new stadium, so we’re still a long, long way to go in terms of final plans,” he said. “But it is a step in the right direction, and we’re going to keep the ball rolling, so to speak.”

June 2, 2023 – Bears announce Arlington Heights ‘no longer our singular focus’ while Naperville mayor submits a pitch

In a stunning reversal just days after it appeared some progress was being made, the Bears announced that pursuing a stadium in Arlington Heights was no longer the singular focus of the club.

The shift came after the Bears saw major differences between their valuations of the property and the values from the Cook County Assessor.

The team said it was committed to listening to proposals from other municipalities, while Mayor Hayes said that the village expected the Bears to explore other opportunities.

Meanwhile, a meeting was held between Warren and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli to discuss the possibility of the Bears building a new home in the western suburb that approximately 150,000 Illinoisans call home.

June 13, 2023 – Waukegan submits pitch to Bears as team considers other sites

With Naperville suddenly vying to become the next home of the Chicago Bears, Waukegan Mayor Ann B. Taylor made a push while touting the opportunity for a lakefront entertainment district.

Taylor acknowledged the club’s “rich history in Lake County” in her pitch, referencing the Bears’ headquarters in Lake Forest and the tendency of many players to reside in the suburban county.

June 27, 2023 – Warren says Bears need a new home, casting doubt on future at Soldier Field

Bears Team President Kevin Warren proclaims that the team needs a new home, casting doubt on their future at Soldier Field despite the team’s hesitancy to pursue prior plans in Arlington Heights.

June 28, 2023 – Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin elaborates on city’s pitch

With more proposals from suburbs coming in, Aurora Mayor and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin made his case for the state’s second-largest city.

Irvin touted resources and capability, highlighting a recent deal with Hollywood Casino as evidence of the city’s willingness to get something done while bringing up the possibility of working with other nearby suburbs.

July 27, 2023 – Kevin Warren, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issue joint statement on talks

With stadium plans in flux, Kevin Warren and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a joint statement, indicating the two sides were still in communication as uncertainty grew over the Arlington Heights site.

“We continued our productive discussion this week that began in early June,” the brief statement read. “We plan to have regular dialogue with each other, and across our respective staffs, as we work together to meet the needs of the citizens of Chicago and Bears fans.”

September 8, 2023 – Warren addresses season ticket holders, reiterates commitment for dome

Kevin Warren issued a letter to Bears’ season ticket holders ahead of the 2023 season, dedicating part of his address to the Bears’ uncertain future plans regarding a new stadium.

Warren informed fans that talks with both Chicago and Arlington Heights continued as the team strived for a home that could host a Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four and other major year-round events.

October 24, 2023 – Country Club Hills makes Hail Mary pitch for new Bears’ stadium

Despite being a mostly overlooked suburb south of Chicago, Country Club Hills submitted a pitch, pointing to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. as an example of a predominantly Black area hosting a thriving entertainment and residential district.

A specific site for the stadium in the suburb located near I-57 and I-80 was not stated in the pitch.

January 6, 2024 – Warren teases to stadium update in next ‘couple of months’

Toward the end of the 2023 NFL season, Kevin Warren told fans that concrete progress was being made for a new stadium, with an update just a couple of months away.

“I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made and I’m just happy to finish strong this season, looking forward to the game this weekend and continue making progress on the stadium,” Warren said.

January 17, 2024 – Indiana bill aims to lure Bears to Northwest Indiana

Legislation introduced in Indiana would establish a professional sports commission for Northwest Indiana in an effort to bring a sports franchise to the area, particularly the Chicago Bears.

Touting lower costs in Indiana, the commission would “help make Northwest Indiana a more attractive option for them and other sports teams,” the bill’s author said.

February 2, 2024 – Bears reportedly shift focus back to Chicago

In a stunning reversal of earlier plans, a report from Crain’s Chicago Business states that the Bears’ goal is now to construct a stadium south of Soldier Field.

The report states that the stadium would be financed thanks to a bonding clause in the law that governs the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. To ease possible difficulties with building on the lakefront, Hinz suggests that Soldier Field would be converted to public parks and athletic fields.

According to Greg Hinz of Crain’s, multiple sources in government and close to the Bears have said that talks of building in downtown Chicago are not merely a plan to achieve better tax terms in Arlington Heights, but are now a sincere goal.

Hinz said that in plans that could go public soon, the Bears will look to construct a new state-of-the-art domed stadium in the parking lot south of their current home of Soldier Field.

The new stadium would leave the city capable of not only hosting a Super Bowl, but an NCAA March Madness Final Four and other major year-round events, Hinz said.

Hinz reports that the stadium would be financed thanks to a bonding clause in the law that governs the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. To ease possible difficulties with building on the lakefront, Hinz suggests that Soldier Field would be converted to public parks and athletic fields.

After months of appearing like a done deal, the Bears announced in June that the team was exploring other sites outside of Arlington Heights, which led to proposals from several suburbs and renewed talks with the city.

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Earlier this week at a hearing on a dispute between the Bears and surrounding school districts in Arlington Heights, it was revealed that the two sides remain $100 million apart in valuations of the site.

Hinz also cites two other factors in the shift within the organization: a warmer relationship with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration, and desires from Kevin Warren differing from his predecessor Ted Phillips.

While Phillips was known for a suburban focus that is reflected by the team’s headquarters in Lake Forest, Hinz reports that Warren appears much more willing to keep the team in Chicago, owing to his background in getting a domed downtown stadium in Minneapolis for the Minnesota Vikings during his time there.

According to Hinz, the clause in the ISFA that the Bears are eyeing for funding is also seen as an opportunity by White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who is reported to be exploring a South Loop stadium for the Chicago White Sox.

Hinz reports that the plan for a south lakefront stadium is also likely to face fierce opposition from Friends of the Parks, an advocacy group that previously sued to block the Lucas Museum on the lakefront, which was eventually built in Los Angeles ahead of a likely lengthy court battle in Chicago.

The team’s attorney argued at a Cook County Board of Review hearing that the property should be valued at $60 million and taxed at the 10% rate for residential and vacant land, due to the work done to demolish the existing structures on the site, versus the 25% tax rate for commercial properties.

The Bears’ lawyer said the team submitted two appraisals of the site, one for $60 million and the other for $71 million, and contended the assessor’s office inflated the value of the land relative to similar sales in the area.

Three surrounding school districts – which rely on property taxes for their funding – intervened in the Bears’ appeal. The schools submitted an appraisal finding the site to be worth $160 million, leaving a $100 million gap between the two sides.

The Bears announced in September 2021 they had reached an agreement to purchase the 326-acre northwest suburban site that housed the former Arlington International Racecourse for $197.2 million, and closed on the property in February 2023.

The previous assessed value of the site was about $33 million. The Cook County Assessor’s Office reassessed the site and placed its value at $197 million.

The racetrack’s previous owner, Churchill Downs, was on the hook for that increased tax bill and filed an appeal arguing it was worth $37.2 million. The school districts at that point argued it was worth $150 million. The two sides reached a settlement of $95 million, but it was a one-year agreement, forcing the Bears to revisit the issue as the responsibility of the tax bill transferred to them.

Following that agreement, the assessor’s office again raised the value to $192 million, the Bears’ attorney said Tuesday.

The team has long said they need what they called property tax “certainty” in order to put shovels in the ground, hoping to build a multi-billion dollar stadium district with restaurants, stores, residential real estate and more.

Negotiations between the Bears and the school districts over the value of the property remain ongoing – but the clock is ticking.

If they don’t come to an agreement, the Board of Review will rule on the dispute near the end of February, Commissioner Samantha Steele said.

After almost two weeks of interviews, the Bears plan to hire former Seattle offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, a league source confirmed to NBC Sports Chicago. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero was first to report the news Monday morning.

Waldron spent the last three seasons as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator. The 44-year-old worked with both Russell Wilson and Geno Smith. He played a crucial role in helping Smith win Comeback Player of the Year in 2022.

Waldron previously spent four seasons coaching under McVay with the Rams as the passing game coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and tight ends coach.

In three seasons in Seattle, Waldron’s offense ranked 12th in EPA per play, 13th in success rate, eighth in EPA per rush, and ninth in EPA per dropback. The Seahawks’ offense ranked fifth in yards per play, fifth in explosive run percentage, and ninth in explosive pass play rate.

Waldron’s units have been good in converting first downs into a new series (2nd in the NFL) but struggled in the red zone (51.5 percent touchdown rate) and on third down (38.5 percent conversation rate).

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After firing offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, Bears general manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus said they would be looking for a candidate who is a “great teacher,” “adaptable,” able to “create explosives,” and “innovative.

Waldron seems to check all of those boxes. He comes from the favored Shanahan tree — an offense that uses the run game to stretch the field horizontally and open up windows in the passing game. The quarterback-friendly scheme prioritizes getting the ball to playmakers in space to prioritize yards after catch.

Eberflus hired Getsy because he believed the Green Bay Packers’ scheme — also an offshoot of the Shanahan tree — was the most difficult offense to prepare to stop. Getsy never delivered on the promise to engineer a similar offense.

Waldron was seen as a strong candidate for the job from the beginning. He was the first to interview for the job, but the Bears interviewed eight other candidates before landing on Waldron.

With Waldron now on board, the Bears now turn their full attention toward their looming quarterback decision. Poles said he believes Justin Fields can lead the Bears, but owning the No. 1 pick via the Carolina Panthers presents the franchise with a unique opportunity.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the prize of the 2024 NFL Draft, with most scouts viewing him as a “generational” passer who will be hard to pass on.

Williams is doing his pre-draft training with Rich Scangarello. Williams met Scangarello through QB Collective, a pro-style invitational camp for elite high school prospects. Waldron, along with most of the notable names from the Shanahan tree, has also worked with the QB Collective. Fields also worked with the QB Collective out of high school.

The Bears said their OC interview process would ask the candidates how they’d plan to design offenses around quarterbacks with different skill sets.

Waldron apparently aced that test and now will play a key role in evaluating helping Poles and Eberflus plot the Bears quarterback course going forward.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

A bill was introduced into the Indiana General Assembly earlier this month that would establish a professional sports commission for northwest Indiana. The bill was authored by representative Earl Harris and does not specifically mention trying to attract the Bears over the border, but Harris mentioned the team by name in a story published by Indianapolis news outlet FOX 59.

“With the Chicago Bears looking into options for a new location, this legislation will help make Northwest Indiana a more attractive option for them and other sports teams,” Harris said via FOX 59.

The bill aims to create a commission that would be charged with conducting studies, creating plans and starting a fund to potentially bring a professional sports team to northwest Indiana.

The Bears bought Arlington Park last year for nearly $200 million, and it makes most sense for the Bears to build a new stadium somewhere on the 326 acres they now own in the Chicago suburbs. But property tax negotiations have slowed progress on the potential stadium plan.

While the team negotiates property tax in Arlington Heights, Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson has met with Bears president/CEO Kevin Warren to discuss options to keep the team in the city. Other suburbs like Naperville, Waukegan and Aurora have thrown their name in the ring. Harris says Indiana has one benefit over all those places, however.

“Things are much cheaper on our side of the state line.”

Warren has said the team needs to make financially prudent decisions as they determine where their next home will be, but taking the Bears over the border feels like a long shot.

As the process drags on however, we’re left to debate things like which team name sounds best: The Gary Bears, Hammond Bears, or Merrillville Bears?

You might be thinking, how does Olson have time to prepare for NFL playoff broadcasts while preparing for upcoming interviews? Thing is, he doesn’t.

Greg Olsen is probably the Greg Olsen you think of when you hear or read Greg Olson. Greg Olsen is the former Bears tight end who now calls football games with Kevin Burkhardt. Greg Olson is the former Bears quarterbacks coach who is now the Seahawks quarterbacks coach. It’s Olson who’s reportedly interviewing for the Bears OC job.

Now that we’ve got that straightened out, here’s more on the guy who could be coming back to Chicago.

Olson is 60 years old, and the most experienced candidate of the names linked to the Bears. He got his start as an offensive coordinator with the Lions in 2005. From there, he’s had stints as an OC with the Buccaneers, Jaguars, Raiders and Rams. He’s had good years, like helping Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce and Stephen Jackson all produce in the same offense, and bad years, like 2014 when his Raiders finished dead last in yards and second to last in points.

Olson is technically still the Seahawks quarterbacks coach, but once the team announced Pete Carroll will be moving to an advisory role with the team they gave his staff permission to look for jobs elsewhere around the league.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

The NFL announced Thursday that the Bears will be one of the designated teams to play in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in next season.

“Every game the Chicago Bears play is rich in tradition, culture and passion. And every year, game after game, we look forward to welcoming fans to experience that richness,” Bears chairman George H. McCaskey said in a statement. “This year, we will take our storied franchise and tradition back to London and share internationally what our fans locally experience at every game. We are excited to join the many NFL teams who are expanding internationally to play a game in London during our 2024 season.”

The Bears haven’t played in London since 2019 when they lost to the then-Oakland Raiders. This will be the Bears’ fourth trip as a franchise to London.

“The Chicago Bears are a special team and a storied franchise. When I became part of the Chicago Bears family in April of 2023, I was focused on building a championship team on the field and in the community while also building a world-class stadium for our incredible fans,” Bears president and CEO Kevin Warren said in a statement. “I am grateful to the NFL and the Halas- McCaskey family for the opportunity to fortify the excellence, championship mindset and traditions of the Chicago Bears on an international platform while growing the game of American Football in the United Kingdom.”

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The Bears are slated to have nine homes games next season. Chicago will host the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers, and their NFC North rivals at in 2024.

The Jaguars were also announced Thursday as a designated team to host a game in London. The Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers will host games in Munich, Germany.

The date, times and, opponents for the international games will be announced in the spring when the NFL releases the full 2024 schedule.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

Yes, this is a big rivalry game and coming home with the first win over the Packers since 2018 would exorcise a lot of demons for the franchise. It would be a poetic end for the 2023 season, after the Week 1 flop against Green Bay set the tone for a disastrous 0-4 start.

All of that is important and good and worth the time, effort and investment into Week 18. But something even more important could be at stake: momentum.

Momentum is something that we talk about a lot in sports, from three-point streaks to slumps at the plate to teams getting hot right before March Madness. We follow these trends like any other storyline. We use stats to try to explain momentum, but really momentum is tough to quantify. It’s more something you feel. Month-to-month, game-to-game, play-to-play, we can sense when a team is headed in the right direction or if a team is doomed to tailspin. Right now, feelings are overwhelmingly positive around Halas Hall, and the Bears believe that momentum can carry over year-to-year into next year.

“Everyone knows where we’re going,” said Justin Jones. “This is what we’ve been working for, this is what we’ve been talking about. Everybody’s been talking about staying the course and just chipping away. When you’re talking to the media or fans that’s white noise, but that’s really what we’re standing on here. I’m just glad that we’re finally showing it’s not lip service to the world.”

Montez Sweat kept his assessment simple: “We’re building something special.”

“This defense, this team in general, it’s special,” said Eddie Jackson. “The plays Justin (Fields) and the offense is making, it’s unreal. Us coming out here and keep getting these turnovers. It’s showing you what we got, the type of things we’ve got on the team, the type of people we’ve got on the roster.”

There’s reason to believe all this talk of momentum isn’t just wishful thinking heading into the new year. There are plenty of examples of teams carrying over good play at the end of one season into the next, and you don’t have to search too far to find one. Take this year’s Lions team for instance, or the 2021 Bengals.

In Detroit, things looked bleak after a 1-6 start to the 2022 season. The team found more ways to lose than win and people started to wonder whether biting kneecaps was enough to win with Dan Campbell at the helm. But the Lions had a breakthrough near the halfway mark and finished the season on an 8-2 run. Now they’re NFC North champions and look like they have a real chance to fight for a conference title.

In Cincinnati, the Bengals hoped to build around Joe Burrow in 2020, but stumbled to a 2-10-1 record in his first season. But they won two out of their last three, drafted Ja’Marr Chase the following year, and made it to the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season.

Tremaine Edmunds said momentum from the back half of the 2018 season in Buffalo helped turn the Bills into the perennial playoff contenders that they are today.

“I think the biggest thing is just having fun,” Edmunds said. “That’s part of it, just having fun every day that you come to work. You can see guys feeding off one another.”

It’s clear that the Bears are having a blast. If the cigar and champagne celebration after their Week 17 win wasn’t evidence enough, the guys also enjoy busting each other’s chops about college football and things like that. Players walk across the room to hang out at different lockers. Vibes are high. You can feel it.

“You can tell if the ship is headed in the right direction and you’re improving,” said Tony Dungy on an episode of NBC Sports Chicago’s “Under Center Podcast” earlier this season.

The Hall of Fame coach knows first hand about how momentum can transform a team from his start as a head coach with the Buccaneers in 1996.

“They had 13-straight losing seasons before I got there,” Dungy said. “We were not very good and people were telling me not to take the job. The first game that year, we opened with Green Bay. Brett Favre and Reggie White. They beat us [34-3] at home, terrible game, we had no chance.”

In Week 9, the Bucs played the eventual Super Bowl Champion Packers again, this time at Lambeau. They still lost, but the score was a more reasonable 13-7.

“Both losses, they both count as Ls in the scorecard, but I told my team, ‘We are so much better now than we were in Week 1. Even though they’re both losses, we’re building something. We’re going somewhere.’”

The next year the Bucs went 5-0 to start the season and made it to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years. They made the playoffs three more times between 1998-2001 and won the Super Bowl in 2002.

“You could see it coming and that’s what I’m hoping for the Bears,” Dungy said.

A step forward isn’t guaranteed for the Bears next season. Nothing in the NFL is guaranteed. They have big questions they need to answer about their quarterback and they still have many roster holes they need to fill. But a win against the Packers to close the season would send the team into the offseason with tangible momentum, and it would solidify the belief that the team is on the right track.

“Especially with the nucleus of your team, the draft picks you have, the free agents you have acquired,” said head coach Matt Eberflus. “There’s always that nucleus. Good teams have nucleuses of offenses, defenses and special teams and of their whole team. We’re starting to have that. So I do feel that building upon momentum is always important.”

“With the wins and the team camaraderie that we have going on, everybody’s just loving on each other,” said Fields. “Having that relationship with guys in the locker room, it feels like high school or college again… That’s what it feels like and it’s a great feeling.”

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

The team will make its annual trip to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field for a Week 18 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. While the Bears have already been eliminated from playoff contention, there is still plenty on the line at Lambeau.

Matt Eberflus’ team has been on a tear, winning four of its last five games to improve to 7-9 on the season. The most recent wins have come in convincing fashion with Justin Fields leading the way in double-digit victories over the Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons. With the Bears clinching the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft via the Carolina Panthers, it’s possible that Week 18 will be Fields’ final time suiting up for the team.

On the other side, the 8-8 Packers can clinch a playoff spot with a Week 18 win over the Bears. Green Bay dominated the first matchup against Chicago, leaving Soldier Field with a 38-20 win in Week 1, and has stayed in the mix for the final NFC wild card spot.

Will the Bears get some payback against the Packers, or will they finish the season on a low note? Here is how you can watch the rivalry matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Packers Week 18 game?

The Bears will visit the Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., on Sunday, Jan. 7.

What time is the Bears vs. Packers Week 18 game?

Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Packers on TV

Bears-Packers will air on CBS.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Packers.

How to stream Bears vs. Packers live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: Paramount+, NFL+

Mobile app: Paramount+ app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Packers on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Bears-Packers weather forecast

NBC Chicago forecasts cloudy skies with a high temperature of 35 degrees in Green Bay on Sunday. Follow the latest forecast here.

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

But there is still a chance. If you’d like to go down the wormhole to see how the Bears can punch their ticket to the postseason, you can check that out here. If you’re looking for the much more straightforward glass half-empty approach, however, look no further.

Here’s how the Bears can be eliminated from playoff contention this weekend.

OPTION ONE: BEARS LOSE

There are already seven teams with eight wins in the NFC, and just seven playoff spots, so the Bears will need to match that mark. They currently sit at 6-9, so if they lose to the Falcons on Sunday, they’ll max out at seven wins and fall short of catching the rest of the conference contenders.

OPTION TWO: RAMS WIN

Since the 49ers have already clinched the NFC West, the Rams (8-7) can only compete for a wild card spot. If the Rams win just one game over the next two weeks that will put them at nine wins and put the Bears out of reach of the No. 6 seed. That’s important, because if the Bears are left to fight with the Vikings or Packers for the No. 7 seed, they’ll lose out due to tiebreakers. And since the Vikings (7-8) and Packers (7-8) are playing each other this week, one of them is guaranteed to hit eight wins.

OPTION THREE: SEAHAWKS WIN

Same deal with the Rams in option two. They’re also at 8-7, so if they beat the Steelers this weekend, they’ll hit nine wins and the Bears out of the “In The Hunt” graphic.

In short the Bears need to win out over the next two weeks and have the Rams and Seahawks lose out, just to be in the conversation for the playoffs. It can happen, but they’ll need some help.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

After a heartbreaking loss to the Cleveland Browns, Chicago got back on track with a 27-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field in Week 16. Justin Fields and Khalil Herbert combined for 209 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to power the Bears to their third win in four games.

Matt Eberflus’ squad will look to continue its late-season string of strong play when the Atlanta Falcons come to town this weekend.

Atlanta rebounded from consecutive losses, including an ugly defeat at the hands of the lowly Carolina Panthers, with an impressive 29-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16. At 7-8, the Falcons are just one game back of the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers with two weeks left in the regular season.

Can the 6-9 Bears make it four wins in five games by taking down a playoff-hopeful Falcons team? Here’s how to watch the Week 17 contest.

When is the Bears vs. Falcons Week 17 game?

The Bears will host the Falcons at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 31.

What time is the Bears vs. Falcons Week 17 game?

Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Falcons on TV

Falcons-Bears will air on CBS.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down the contest. 

How to stream Bears vs. Falcons live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: ParamountPlus.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Paramount + app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Falcons on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

But they still have a chance, all the same.

A lot needs to happen for the Bears to make the playoffs, and they’ll need a lot of help from some bad teams. When you break it down, there are three simple steps that need to happen. Then there are several branches in the playoff multiverse from there.

Note: I did not include ties because including ties would absolutely break my brain. Also, I used several playoff calculators from different sources to try to check my work as best as I could. 

STEP ONE: BEARS NEED TO WIN OUT

There are already seven teams in the NFC with eight wins. With just seven playoff spots, the Bears need to match that mark. They currently sit at 6-9, so they’ll need to beat both the Falcons this week and the Packers in the regular season finale to hit eight wins themselves. 

STEP TWO: RAMS NEED TO LOSE OUT

The Rams are only contending for a wildcard spot since the 49ers already locked up the NFC West title. If the Rams win a single game, they’ll be at nine wins and ahead of the Bears. But if they lose to each the Giants and the 49ers, they’ll be tied with the Bears at eight wins. The Bears would then edge the Rams out on the conference record tiebreaker, with the Rams at 6-6 against NFC opponents and the Bears at 7-5.

STEP THREE: SEAHAWKS NEED TO LOSE OUT

Same deal with the Rams in step two. If the Seahawks lose to the Steelers and the Cardinals, they’ll be tied with the Bears at eight wins. Once again, the Bears win the conference record tiebreaker. But one win puts them at 9-8 and ahead of the Bears.

FUNKY PLAYOFF PICTURE TIME

You might be thinking to yourself, why do the Bears need both the Rams and Seahawks to lose out if they own the tiebreaker against each of them?

That’s because the Bears will necessarily lose one of their tiebreakers against a divisional opponent. If the Bears, Vikings and Packers are all left to fight for the No. 7 seed, the Bears will be left out.

That’s because the Vikings and Packers each sit at 7-8 and play each other next week. One of them will get to at least eight wins and finish with at least a 3-3 record in the NFC North. That’s the same division record the Bears will have if they win out.

From there, we go to a tiebreaker: record against common opponents. Both the Packers and the Vikings have the Bears beat in this department.

If the Packers beat the Vikings, Green Bay will beat the Bears in the common opponents tiebreaker thanks to wins against the Chargers, Chiefs, Panthers and Saints.

If the Vikings beat the Packers, they’ll win the common opponent tiebreaker with wins over the Raiders, Saints, Falcons and Panthers.

Which leads us to the playoff multiverse.

UNIVERSE ONE: BUCCANEERS BEAT SAINTS, WIN NFC SOUTH IN WEEK 17

If the Bucs beat the Saints in Week 17, they’ll win the NFC South (because we already have the Bears beating the Falcons in Week 17, too). That would eliminate the Saints and the Falcons since three-way ties get weird. Essentially, it would come down to a conference record tiebreaker and the Bears would have the edge over each team.

But there’s still a chance for the Packers and Vikings to each qualify for the postseason in this universe and leave the Bears looking towards next year.

UNIVERSE ONE – BRANCH ONE: VIKINGS BEAT PACKERS WEEK 17

If the Bucs beat the Saints and the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 17– and if everything happens in steps one through three– the Bears will make the playoffs due to the multi-team tiebreaker rules listed above.

UNIVERSE ONE – BRANCH TWO: PACKERS BEAT VIKINGS WEEK 17

If the Bucs win the division in Week 17 and the Packers beat the Vikings, then the Bears will need the Lions to beat the Vikings in Week 18. If not, then the Bears, Vikings and Packers will all be tied at 8-9, and the Bears will be the odd team out.

UNIVERSE TWO: SAINTS BEAT BUCS IN WEEK 17, BUCS WIN NFC SOUTH IN WEEK 18

If the Bucs don’t lock up the division in Week 17, they have another shot with a win against the Panthers in Week 18.

Things get whack from here. Buckle up.

UNIVERSE TWO – BRANCH ONE: VIKINGS BEAT PACKERS IN WEEK 17

This one is the most simple outcome in universe two. All the Bears need is for the Falcons to beat the Saints, then they’re in.

UNIVERSE TWO – BRANCH TWO: PACKERS BEAT VIKINGS IN WEEK 17

Hope you’re keeping up because this is more convoluted than your cousin describing how every single piece of the Marvel Cinematic Universe still fits together over Christmas dinner. In this scenario, we’ve got even more branches to go down before we get any clarity.

If the Packers beat the Vikings in Week 17, but then the Vikings beat the Lions in Week 18, it’s over. Bears out.

But if the Lions beat the Vikings in Week 18, the Bears get in with a Falcons win. If the Saints beat the Falcons, the Bears are out again.

UNIVERSE THREE: SAINTS BEAT BUCS IN WEEK 17, WIN NFC SOUTH IN WEEK 18

In order for this to happen, the Saints will need to beat the Falcons and the Buccaneers will need to lose to the Panthers in Week 18. It’s unlikely, but hey, we’ve been treading water in the deep end for this entire column.

UNIVERSE THREE – BRANCH ONE: VIKINGS BEAT PACKERS WEEK 17

If the Saints win the NFC South and the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 17, the Bears will make the playoffs. It doesn’t matter what happens in the Vikings-Lions Week 18 game.

UNIVERSE THREE – BRANCH TWO: PACKERS BEAT VIKINGS WEEK 17

Only one outcome matters if the Saints with the NFC South and the Packers beat the Vikings in Week 17. If the Vikings beat the Lions, then the Bears miss the playoffs. If the Lions beat the Vikings, then the Bears make the playoffs.

UNIVERSE FOUR: FALCONS WIN NFC SOUTH

The only way the Falcons can win the NFC South in our Wild, Weird, Wacky World is if the Buccaneers lose out and then the Falcons beat the Saints in Week 18.

UNIVERSE FOUR – BRANCH ONE: VIKINGS BEAT PACKERS IN WEEK 17

Hey, a simple outcome! If the Falcons win the NFC South and the Vikings beat the Packers in Week 17 the Bears will make the playoffs.

UNIVERSE FOUR – BRANCH TWO: PACKERS BEAT VIKINGS IN WEEK 17

More scoreboard watching. If the Falcons somehow win the NFC South and the Packers beat the Vikings in Week 17, then the Bears’ fate rests with the Lions-Vikings game to close the season. If the Lions win, the Bears are in. If the Vikings win, the Bears are out.

That should do it! I hope you enjoyed the wild ride and I hope this serves as a decent guide for you to follow along over the last two weeks.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

The Arizona Cardinals are coming to town in a battle of teams near the bottom of the NFC standings. While the Cards have been eliminated from postseason contention, the Bears are still mathematically alive.

Justin Fields and Co. enter the game at 5-9 on the year. They were a fingertip away from winning their Week 15 contest against the Cleveland Browns, but Darnell Mooney dropped what would have been a game-winning Hail Mary to give the Browns a 20-17 victory.

Kyler Murray’s Cardinals, meanwhile, are 3-11 and contending for the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team is coming off a 45-29 loss to the NFC West rival San Francisco 49ers.

Will the Bears give their fans something to cheer about, or will the Cardinals play the role of the Grinch? Here is how you can tune into the Christmas Eve clash:

When is the Bears vs. Cardinals Week 16 game?

The Bears will host the Cardinals at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 24.

What time is the Bears vs. Cardinals Week 16 game?

Kickoff is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Cardinals on TV

Cardinals-Bears will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Cardinals. 

How to stream Bears vs. Cardinals live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Cardinals on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

Justin Fields and Co. have won back-to-back games, defeating the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions to improve to 5-8 on the season and keep their playoff hopes alive. Fields had a passing touchdown and rushing touchdown in Week 13, while the Bears’ defense stifled Jared Goff and the Lions’ offense.

Week 15 offers the Bears a chance to get their first three-game winning streak since 2020. Standing in their way are the Cleveland Browns and a resurgent Joe Flacco.

The Browns are 8-5 and squarely in a crowded AFC playoff picture despite starting four different quarterbacks this season. The 38-year-old Flacco turned back the clock in Week 14, throwing three touchdown passes in a home victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Will the Bears keep up their winning ways, or will the Browns send them back to the loss column? Here is how you can watch the Week 15 Bears-Browns contest.

When is the Bears vs. Browns Week 15 game?

The Bears will visit the Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland on Sunday, Dec. 17.

What time is the Bears vs. Browns Week 15 game?

Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Browns Week 15

Bears-Lions will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Browns.

How to stream the Bears vs. Browns live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Browns on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

Matt Eberflus’ team is fresh off its bye and has five more games before the regular season concludes. It has a 4-8 record, just two games behind the No. 7 seed in the NFC but also good for the No. 5 pick in the projected 2024 NFL Draft order.

The Bears’ race to the finish line begins with a home contest against the Detroit Lions in Week 14. It will be the second matchup between the NFC North foes in just four weeks after the Lions rallied to beat the Bears 31-26 in Week 11.

Detroit leads the NFC North with a 9-3 record after fending off the New Orleans Saints in Week 13. A win in Chicago will bring the team even closer to a division title, something it hasn’t earned since 1993.

Will the Lions sweep the season series, or will the Bears play spoiler? Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Lions matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Lions Week 14 game?

The Bears will host the Lions at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 10.

What time is the Bears vs. Lions Week 14 game?

Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Lions Week 14

Bears-Lions will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Lions. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Lions live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Lions on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

According to OptaSTATS, the Bears are the first team since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970 to win a game on the road despite losing two fumbles, being penalized for 75+ yards and scoring zero touchdowns. Previously, teams were 0-46 when they put together that trifecta of ineptitude.

The key to the Bears’ win was an incredible defensive effort, a nearly perfect night from Cairo Santos and one particularly clutch throw from Justin Fields.

The defense intercepted Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs four times in the 12-10 win. Although the Bears only managed to score three points off those turnovers, they kept Vikings points off the board and stymied opportunities for Minnesota to take a commanding lead.

Santos missed his first field goal attempt of the day but shook it off to go 4-for-4 for the rest of the night. Santos scored all 12 of the Bears’ points, including a career-high 55-yarder and the game-winner with under 15 seconds to go in the game.

Finally, Fields made a big-time play to set up a comeback win for the first time this season. His 36-yard strike to DJ Moore on the team’s final offensive drive of the game was the longest play of the day by either side and set the Bears up to kneel three times before Santos’ game-winning kick. It was a rare fourth-quarter drive to seal a game for Fields.

Too many times, the Bears have let wins slip away over the past two seasons. For a moment, it looked like Monday was going to be the same. The Bears failed to capitalize on many opportunities to score points and open up a big lead over the Vikings. Then, they gave up the game’s lone touchdown – and the lead – with just under six minutes to play. If any of those things hadn’t happened, the Bears would’ve likely become the 47th team to lose under the circumstances listed above.

Last week the Bears became the first team in NFL history to lose in regulation after possessing the ball for 40 minutes with a plus-three turnover margin, per ESPN 1000.

The Bears weren’t able to score a single touchdown against the Vikings, instead relying on a 4-for-5 performance by kicker Cairo Santos as field goals led them to victory.

According to Pro Football Reference’s Stathead tool, this marks the first time in the 2023 NFL season that a team has won without scoring a touchdown, and marks just the seventh time in the last four seasons that a team has won with only field goals.

It’s been even longer than that since the Bears won a game without finding the endzone. According to Stathead, the Bears had not won a game without scoring a touchdown since Oct. 3, 1993 when they beat the Atlanta Falcons 6-0.

The victory also marks the first time in the entire history of the Bears that they’ve managed to win a game after reaching double digits in points exclusively via field goals.  

The win gives the Bears a 4-8 record heading into their bye week, with their next game coming Dec. 10 against the Lions at Soldier Field.

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The NFL will play games on Thanksgiving, with the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers both playing in the morning time slot, and the league will also have a Black Friday game between the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, but none of those contests will involve the Bears.

Instead, the team will take the field again at U.S. Bank Stadium on Monday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Following that, the Bears will finally have their bye week before resuming their season with three of their next four games at Soldier Field.

Here is the Bears’ remaining schedule:

Nov. 27: at Minnesota 7:15 p.m. ABC/ESPN

Dec. 10: vs. Detroit 12 p.m. Fox

Dec. 17: at Cleveland TBD

Dec. 24: vs. Arizona 3:25 p.m. Fox

Dec. 31: vs. Atlanta 12 p.m. CBS

Jan. 7: at Green Bay TBD

The NFL can still flex the Bears’ final game of the regular season to Saturday, with the decision coming no later than New Year’s Day, according to the league.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

Justin Fields and Co. will head to Minnesota to face the Vikings on Monday Night Football with both teams coming off close losses.

The Bears took command against the division-leading Detroit Lions in Week 11. They went ujp 26-14 with 4:15 left in the game before surrendering 17 unanswered points over the final three minutes for a crushing defeat that dropped their record to 3-8.

Meanwhile, the Vikings saw their five-game winning streak come to an end in primetime. Joshua Dobbs got his first loss with Minnesota as the team fell 21-20 to Russell Wilson and the Broncos on Sunday Night Football.

The Vikings beat the Bears in a Week 6 matchup in Chicago. Can the Bears avoid the season sweep to their divisional rival?

Here is everything to know to watch Bears-Vikings on Monday Night Football.

When is the Bears vs. Vikings Monday Night Football game?

The Bears will face the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Monday, Nov. 27.

What time is the Bears vs. Vikings Monday Night Football game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Vikings is set for 7:15 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Vikings on Monday Night Football

Bears-Vikings will air on ESPN and ABC with Joe Buck (play-by-play), Troy Aikman (analyst) and Lisa Salters (sideline) on the call. There will not be a ManningCast for Bears-Vikings.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Vikings. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Vikings Monday Night Football live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: ESPN.com, ESPN+

Mobile app: ESPN app

How to listen to Bears vs. Vikings Monday Night Football on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

But the Bears lost to the Lions in truly historic fashion on Sunday. As in they did something that no other NFL team has ever done before, per ESPN 1000.

The Bears did almost everything right for three and a half quarters. They followed their script to win a game: run the ball well on offense, take the ball away on defense. Justin Fields was electric in his return and made huge plays both with his arm and his legs. It was as dominant of a performance as the Bears could have hoped for on the road against the class of the NFC North.

It all came crumbling down for another disappointing loss as the Lions scored 17 unanswered points in the final four minutes of the game.

Where did it all go wrong? Was conservative playcalling to blame? Or the inability to make a stop on defense with the game on the line? Did the Bears doom themselves by not capitalizing on every single opportunity the Lions gave them to put points on the board, or take points away? Do the Bears need to learn how to win, or is Eberflus’ H.I.T.S. program insufficient for building a winning program? Does the team not have enough talent, and is the talent on the field executing at a high enough rate?

These are the questions folks will debate all week, just as they’ve been debated many weeks prior. Whatever the reason for the numerous disappointing losses, it’s clear the Bears simply aren’t good enough to beat quality teams without playing absolutely perfectly.

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Matt Eberflus’ squad will head to Detroit for a matchup against the division-leading Lions in Week 11.

Chicago is coming off a 16-13 victory over the Carolina Panthers that strengthened their odds of getting the No. 1 overall pick in 2024. D’Onta Foreman scored the team’s lone touchdown, Tyson Bagent took care of the football and the Bears’ defense suffocated Bryce Young and the Panthers’ offense.

Now, the Bears will face a team that’s not only eyeing an NFC North title, but perhaps the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Dan Campbell’s Lions are 7-2 on the year following their dramatic victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 10. Detroit is chasing its first division crown in 30 years, and a win over their longtime foes would bring them one step closer to that goal.

Can the Bears win consecutive games for the first time since 2021, or will they fall to 3-8 on the year? Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Lions matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Lions Week 11 game?

The Bears will face the Lions at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 19.

What time is the Bears vs. Lions Week 11 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Lions is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Lions Week 11

Bears-Lions will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Lions. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Lions live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Lions on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

The Chicago Bears‘ defense dominated an ugly Thursday Night Football Game game against the Carolina Panthers at Soldier Field, winning 16-13 and improving their 2024 NFL draft pick in the process.

But large part of the credit for the Bears’ win Thursday should go to the Panthers’ horrific offense, NBC Sports Bears Insider Josh Schrock said.

“While the Bears spent most of the first half spinning their wheels, the Panthers’ offense was an utter abomination,” Schrock wrote in his analysis. “It had no plan, no tricks, and no point. If you’re going to face that level of pointless attack, you need to shut it down.”

As the Bears’ look ahead to their next game — not until Nov. 19, against the Lions in Detroit — here are four takeaways from Thursday night’s game.

Bagent wasn’t great, but Young was worse

Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent didn’t play well, but No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young was worse.

Bagent has had an up-and-down four weeks as the starter. That’s to be expected from any rookie, let alone an undrafted rookie from Division II.

But the first half of Thursday’s game was the worst he has looked to date.

Bagent missed several throws and almost threw multiple picks in the first half, but luckily, the Panthers’ defense could not secure an early game-changing play.

MORE: Bears studs and duds in win over Panthers on Thursday Night Football

At halftime, Bagent was 14-for-24 for 127 yards. It wasn’t pretty by any standard. And yet, Bagent still thoroughly outplayed Young. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick went just 7-for-14 for 63 yards in the first half as the Panthers’ trainwreck offense struggled to do anything to scare the Bears’ defense.

Bagent didn’t see the field well all night. Once they took the lead on a D’Onta Foreman touchdown run in the third quarter, the Bears mostly took the ball out of his hands. Bagent was off-target all night. He finished the game 20-for-33 for just 162 yards. But he didn’t make the back-breaking mistakes he did in New Orleans to cost the Bears a winnable game.

Meanwhile, Justin Fields is expected to return to the starter’s role when the Bears take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Nov. 19.

Bears’ pass defense dominates

It was a good day for the pass defense. Only the turnovers were missing. The Bears mixed looks and coverages all night against No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young, and that plan worked to perfection.

Young finished the day 21-for-38 for 185 yards and averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt. The Panthers’ passing attack was a soggy house of cards built out of checkdowns and dump-offs.

Outside of a dart on a 45-yard strike to Mike Strachan, Young looked pedestrian, and the Panthers’ aerial attack never got off the tarmac.

“We did a lot of things with giving him different looks and things he hasn’t seen on film,” safety Eddie Jackson said after the win. “We just kept switching it up in the backend with us and playing tight coverage.”

With Young guess, the Bears’ defense took control in the second half and carried the team to win.

“It’s a good feeling,” Jackson said. “That’s what you want to do against a quarterback, no matter if he’s a rookie or a 10-to-12-year vet. You always want to give them good looks because they know where they are going with the ball before the snap if you give them that pre-snap look, so we just wanted to keep disguising. Moving in and moving out — the linebackers, the DBs. I felt like we kind of confused him a little bit.”

The Bears’ defensive line also had its best game of the season, notching three sacks and nine hurries.

New edge rusher Montez Sweat had three hurries and eight total pressures, per Next Gen Stats.

“Those guys, we want them to go get it,” head coach Matt Eberflus said of the pass rush’s effectiveness. “Didn’t do a lot of stunts or movements. I did that with mostly with some of the pressures, but yeah, just let them pin and go because it was being effective. It really was effective. Not only on third down. It was effective even in early downs, so they did a good job.”

DJ Moore says ‘maybe we need other refs’

Star wide receiver DJ Moore, who caught five passes for 58 yards, did have one gripe after the Bears’ third win of the season.

Officials penalized Moore twice for offensive pass interference in the win. Both calls landed somewhere between questionable and unacceptable on the “bad call” spectrum.

“No,” Moore said after the win when asked if the refs explained the PI calls to him. “They was getting on my nerves today. They called me twice for it, and then they going to have the nerve to talk to me afterwards. Don’t talk to me afterward because neither of them were pass interference, so it’s OK.”

The second flag was an egregious call.

Facing a third-and-9 late in the third quarter, quarterback Tyson Bagent dropped back and hit Trent Taylor on the left side for a gain of 16. Moore’s feet got tangled up with a defensive back while he and Taylor were running their routes, and the officials flagged Moore for pass interference when the defensive back stumbled after making contact with his feet.

Moore wasn’t pleased with how he was officiated Thursday, and he had a light-hearted message for the refs that was undoubtedly softened by the win.

“The second one, they ain’t say nothing about the second one,” Moore said when asked about his communication with the refs. “The first one, they said I drove him downfield to far. He initiated contact with me first, so I don’t know.

“Maybe we need other refs.”

Coaching gets a B+

Even if you take out the bad pass interference calls on DJ Moore (one of which was declined), the Bears’ coaches still have a lot to clean up.

The tackling was spotty in the first half, especially on Ihmir Smith-Marsette’s 79-yard punt return touchdown that gave the Panthers a 7-0 lead. The Bears cleaned things up for the most part and didn’t make any egregious mistakes that have become commonplace this season.

Matt Eberflus said he had something “up his sleeves” at halftime. We’re still waiting to find out what tricks he has — or perhaps it was just the realization the Panthers are an atrocious operation that his defense could manhandle.

Matt Eberflus’ team will welcome the Carolina Panthers to Soldier Field to kick off Week 10 following a 24-17 road loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. As the two sides officially begin the second half of the 2023 season, their pre-draft trade will enter the limelight once again.

The Bears traded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft to the Panthers for wide receiver D.J. Moore, the No. 9 overall pick, a 2023 second-round pick, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2025 second-round pick. Moore has been a bright spot for Chicago’s offense, and now he will get a chance to square off against his former team.

On the other side, the Panthers used the first overall selection on Bryce Young, who has experienced a bumpy rookie season. Carolina is off to a 1-7 start after Young threw a career-high three interceptions defeat against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Bears Insider Nov 5, 2023

Schrock's NFL Power Rankings: Where Bears stand after sloppy loss vs. Saints

Tyson Bagent Nov 5, 2023

Schrock's Bears Report Card: Grading Tyson Bagent, offense, defense in Saints loss

If the season ended after Week 9, the Bears would own the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2024 draft, with the former coming from the Panthers in the aforementioned trade. Regardless of Thursday’s result, one of the picks will improve, while the other moves in the other direction.

Here is how you can tune into Thursday Night Football between the Bears and Panthers:

When is the Bears vs. Panthers Thursday Night Football game?

The Bears will host the Panthers at Soldier Field in Chicago on Thursday, Nov. 9.

What time is the Bears vs. Panthers Thursday Night Football game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Panthers is set for 7:15 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Panthers on Thursday Night Football

Bears-Panthers will air on Amazon Prime Video. Al Michaels (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) and Kaylee Hartung (sideline) are on the call. People in the Chicago area can also watch the game on WFLD.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Panthers

How to stream the Bears vs. Panthers live online

Live stream: Prime Video, NFL+

Mobile stream: Prime Video app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Panthers on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

What is the weather forecast for Bears vs. Panthers on Thursday Night Football?

NBC Chicago forecasts cloudy skies, a high temperature of 54 degrees, a low temperature of 36 degrees and a 9% chance of rain in Chicago on Thursday.

Sweat is one of the premier pass rushers in the game and will help the Bears defensive line, which has struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Sweat has 6.5 sacks, 10 TFLs and has forced two fumbles this season. Meanwhile, every defensive line player on the Bears has combined for 6.5 sacks, 21 TFLs and one forced fumble this year. Yannick Ngakoue leads the group with two sacks.

Sweat is playing in his fifth NFL season now and has 35.5 career sacks, 47 TFLs and nine forced fumbles. At times Sweat benefited from rushing opposite the uber-talented DE Chase Young. However, when Young has missed time due to injury, Sweat has still produced at a high level. There’s no reason to believe Sweat won’t be able to maintain that production working opposite Ngakoue now.

Defensive end was a position of need heading into this season since the Bears ranked last in the NFL with 20 sacks in 2022. GM Ryan Poles tried to address the issue by signing Ngakoue, DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green over the offseason, but it wasn’t enough to make progress. After eight games the Bears rank dead last in the NFL again, with 10 sacks. That includes all the teams who have already had their bye weeks and have only played seven games. Acquiring Sweat now is an emphatic move to bolster the unit.

Sweat is playing on the last year of his rookie contract right now- the Commanders picked up his fifth-year option back in 2022- so if the Bears want to keep him around long term, they’ll have to sign him to a new deal. Since Sweat was set to hit the open market after this season trading for him now sends a message that the team is trying to win now, not tank for a higher draft pick. It also could give Poles a leg up on reaching a long-term deal with Sweat. The Bears will now have a chance to offer him a contract extension before he becomes a free agent.

According to Spotrac, the Bears have $95.7 million dollars in cap space in 2024, which is the most in the league.

Poles is no stranger to splashy deadline moves. Last season, he made several franchise-altering trades including the decision to send Roquan Smith to the Ravens in exchange for a second-round pick and the decision to acquire Chase Claypool from the Steelers in exchange for a second-round pick.

The trade deadline ends at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

Matt Eberflus’ squad will take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 9 as it crosses the midway point of the 2023 season.

The Bears fell to 2-6 this season with their 30-13 Sunday Night Football defeat against the Los Angeles Chargers. Tyson Bagent, making the first road start of his NFL career, and the Bears’ defense were no match for Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ electric offense.

Speaking of electric offense, Saints are coming off their highest-scoring game of 2023. They beat the Colts 38-27 behind two touchdowns from Alvin Kamara and two more from Taysom Hill, bringing their record to 4-4 on the year.

Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Saints matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Saints Week 9 game?

The Bears will face the Saints at Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Nov. 5.

What time is the Bears vs. Saints Week 9 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Saints is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Saints Week 9

Bears-Saints will air on CBS.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Saints. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Saints live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: Paramount+, NFL+

Mobile app: Paramount+ app, NFL mobile app, 

How to listen to Bears vs. Saints on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson reportedly requested a trade early Tuesday morning, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported, citing a source.

The report added that Chicago granted permission to find a new home for Johnson, who is in the final year of a four-year deal he signed as a rookie.

Both sides reportedly attempted to negotiate an extension last week, but nothing materialized, putting the 24-year-old on the market.

A second-round pick in 2020, Johnson has steadily developed into a standout starter for a Bears team that has had to let go of promising talents the last few years due to on-field struggles.

General manager Ryan Poles commented on Johnson’s situation as recently as Sunday.

“We’re in a phase where we want to retain homegrown talent,” Ryan Poles said on ESPN 1000 before Sunday night’s game versus the Los Angeles Chargers. “That’s important. But again, it takes two sides to make something happen, so we’ll see if that works out.”

Teams don’t like to target Johnson’s side that often, yet he’s logged two picks (one returned for a touchdown), four passes defended and a forced fumble.

The trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. CT Tuesday, so the loss to Los Angeles might’ve been Johnson’s last time donning the Chicago blue and orange — unless things change.

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The emergence of a swaggy QB2 from Shepherd University was a surprise to some. After all, not many expect UDFA QBs from D-II schools to make much noise in the NFL. It was no surprise to the Bears, though. They’ve known about Bagent’s moxie for quite some time.

“You could see it when he first walked in, he’s just real cool,” said fellow rookie Tyler Scott. “He’s got the arm sleeve, the hair, he’s got the backwards hat with the hair hanging out, got the Dan Marino look. He’s just got that ‘it’ to him in terms of his personality, he’s got that swagger that he walks around with. I could see it when I first met him. I saw him walk through the door and was like, ‘This dude, he’s cool. I can have a real conversation with him.’”

“Everybody’s got their own little drip, you know what I mean?” said Darnell Wright. “He’s got his own little drip. He do what he do, he’s a pretty cool cat.”

The Internet got a taste of that swag on Monday when “Highly Disputed,” a podcast that focuses on Shepherd athletics, posted this video purportedly showing Bagent rapping at a karaoke bar. 

Note, the video has explicit lyrics.

For what it’s worth, when Bagent was shown the video after practice on Wednesday he cracked a smile and said it wasn’t him. His teammates were split between, “Yeah, that’s definitely him,” and, “I don’t know, the video’s kinda blurry but it for sure looks like him.”

Velus Jones might have said it best though: “Get outta here. Oh snap! That’s Emimen’s brother, they got separated at birth. I didn’t know Tyson was related to Eminem, that’s crazy.”

Again, if that was in fact Bagent in the video, his Bears teammates aren’t surprised. Again, they’ve seen it before. Throughout the Bears locker room, players recalled Bagent bringing the house down with a rap during the rookie talent show back in training camp. According to Scott, there was a standing ovation after the performance.

“Everybody was, ‘Ok, he’s actually got some bars. He got a little something to him,’” Scott said.

“A couple people were yelling ‘B-Rabbit,’” said Tyrique Stevenson, in reference to Eminem’s character in the movie “8 Mile.”

“Tyson had some ill rhymes,” said Jones.

Wright claimed he stole the rookie talent show and seems to have a more discerning taste in rappers. He was the only person to offer any critiques for Bagent’s performance.

“You know the delivery could’ve been a little better, but he got the words down. He did good. I’m not hating.”

That swag gives the Bears confidence that Bagent will have no problems handling the pressure that comes with a first NFL start.

Stevenson noticed Bagent’s confidence before the two became teammates, at the Senior Bowl. Stevenson wanted jersey No. 7 but Bagent got it, which left Stevenson with No. 8. So Stevenson tuned in to see what Bagent could do in the jersey that he wanted to wear.

“His throws was pretty much great. In one-on-ones he was making a lot of throws. When he went out there and played against us he was calm, cool and collected just like he is now. It really seems like nothing fazes him.”

Bagent says that confidence comes from the preparation he puts in to continue improving as a quarterback and from his family’s support. If Justin Fields can’t play against the Raiders due to his dislocated thumb, we’ll get to see how that confidence translates to the Bears offense for a full 60 minutes.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

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Following their first win of the season against the Washington Commanders, the Bears had extra time to prepare for their divisional duel against the Minnesota Vikings. That NFC North matchup resulted in a loss – in more ways than one.

The Bears lost 19-13 at home in a game that Justin Fields exited due to a hand injury. Tyson Bagent entered in relief and helped keep the team within striking distance, but the Vikings left Chicago at 2-4 while pushing the Bears to 1-5 on the year.

Turning to Week 7, the Raiders will make their first visit to Soldier Field since 2015. They also lost their starting quarterback mid-game last week as Jimmy Garoppolo was transported to the hospital with a back injury. Unlike the Bears, however, the Raiders earned a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots.

Can the Bears get back in the win column, or will they remain winless at home in 2023? Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Raiders matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Raiders Week 7 game?

The Bears will face the Raiders at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Oct. 22.

What time is the Bears vs. Raiders Week 7 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Raiders is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Raiders Week 7

Bears-Raiders will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Raiders. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Raiders live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Raiders on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

The team snapped a 14-game skid dating back to last season when they steamrolled the Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football. DJ Moore shined under the bright lights, picking up career-highs with 230 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the 40-20 victory.

Now, the Bears will look to keep their momentum going against a divisional foe.

The Minnesota Vikings sit next to the Bears at the bottom of the NFC North standings. Kirk Cousins and Co. hung around with the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5 but settled for a 27-20 defeat. They will also be down their best player for at least the next month, as Justin Jefferson reportedly is headed to injured reserve.

Can the Bears move ahead of the Vikings in the standings, or will they fall to 1-5 on the year? Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Vikings matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Vikings Week 6 game?

The Bears will face the Vikings at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Oct. 15.

What time is the Bears vs. Vikings Week 6 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Vikings is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Vikings Week 6

Bears-Vikings will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Vikings. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Vikings live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Vikings on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

The Bears will send Claypool and 2025 seventh-round pick to Miami in exchange for a 2025 sixth-rounder.

The move ends a season-long drama between the team and the wide receiver. Things got off to a bad start in Week 1 when Claypool appeared to put forth poor effort as a blocker and route runner. Claypool’s play was so lackadaisical there was speculation that head coach Matt Eberflus might bench him in Week 2. But Claypool made a point to apologize to his teammates, coaches and Poles and seemed to improve in the short term.

The changes didn’t last. Claypool called out coaches for using him improperly last Friday. One day later Claypool was made inactive for the team’s Week 4 game against the Broncos. Coaches said the decision to make Claypool inactive was unrelated to his comments, but Claypool may have made the comments if he saw the writing on the wall ahead of the team’s decision.

From there things spiraled. The team asked Claypool to stay at home for the Broncos game, then doubled down and kept him apart from the others in the week leading up to the Commanders game. Suffice it to say, he didn’t make the trip to Washington for Thursday Night Football.

Claypool played only 10 games for the Bears, and the Bears lost all 10 of those games. Over that span he caught 18 balls for 191 yards and one touchdown. Claypool appeared primed for a breakout Bears season in training camp. He became a favorite target for Justin Fields over the summer, especially in the red zone, but Claypool’s camp was derailed part way through by a leg injury.

Now, Claypool gets a fresh start with a fresh coaching staff. If anyone can salvage Claypool’s career it’s probably the Dolphins. Head coach Mike McDaniel is an offensive wiz, known for maximizing his players’ strengths and using them in creative ways to succeed.

Poles traded a second-round pick to the Steelers for Claypool last November. That pick ended up being the No. 32 selection in the draft, which the Steelers used to select Joey Porter Jr., a talented cornerback. If the Bears still had that pick, they could’ve used it to bring in a pass rusher like Derick Hall or Isaiah Foskey. Several highly touted offensive linemen like Matthew Bergeron, Steve Avila and Joe Tippmann were still on the board, too. Both pass rush and offensive line depth have been issues for the Bears this season.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

On one side are the Chicago Bears. The team took a 28-7 lead at home against the Denver Broncos in a battle of winless teams before surrendering 24 unanswered points and falling 31-28. Justin Fields had a career-high four touchdowns, but he also lost a fumble that was returned for a Broncos touchdown and tossed the game-sealing interception.

Then there are the Washington Commanders. Ron Rivera’s team took an early lead over the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, fell behind in the second half and then tied the game with a touchdown on the final play of regulation. They could not capitalize in overtime, however, as Eagles kicker Jake Elliott drilled a game-winning, 54-yard field goal to drop the Commanders to 2-2 on the year.

Which team will bounce back in primetime? Here is everything you need to know to watch the Week 5 Thursday Night Football contest.

When is the Bears vs. Commanders Week 5 game?

The Bears will visit the Commanders at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., Thursday, Oct. 5.

What time is the Bears vs. Commanders Week 5 game?

How to watch Bears vs. Commanders Week 5

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Commanders.

How to stream the Bears vs. Commanders live online

Live stream: Prime Video, NFL+

Mobile stream: Prime Video app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Commanders on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

What is the weather forecast for Bears vs. Commanders Week 5?

And although quarterback Justin Fields set a new team record during the first half of Sunday’s game, the rest of it saw records set in the wrong direction.

Here’s a recap of the biggest moments, headlines and takeaways as the game unfolded.

What happened to Chase Claypool?

Before the Bears let another win slip away in disappointing fashion, the big news of the day was the team’s decision to make Chase Claypool inactive for Week 4. That news became even bigger when folks noticed Claypool wasn’t at Soldier Field for the game.

That’s not typical.

Usually guys who don’t earn a jersey on game day still hang out on the sidelines to support their teammates, yet Claypool was nowhere to be found. The big question was why.

And according to a Monday morning interview with coach Matt Eberflus, he won’t be with the team this week either.

Game recap: What we learned as Bears blow 21-point lead in disastrous meltdown loss vs. Broncos

The day started off exactly how quarterback Justin Fields and the Bears drew it up. Fields completed his first 16 passes and the Bears roared out to a 28-7 lead early in the third quarter. At the time, Fields was 23-of-24 for 285 yards and four touchdowns.

Then, the ghosts came out on the lakefront. Losing 13 games in a row breeds bad habits that are hard to break. Perhaps an exorcism is needed.

Down 21, the Broncos ripped off 24 straight points to stun the Bears 31-28 at Soldier Field.

Fields’ brilliant day ended with a fumble that the Broncos returned for a scoop and score and an interception on the final drive of the game.

Here’s more on that.

Justin Fields sets Bears record with stellar first half vs. Denver

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields set a new team record during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.

Fields, who had thrown for three touchdowns in his first three games of the season, matched that mark in the first half of Sunday’s game, completing a pair of touchdowns to Cole Kmet and one to DJ Moore to give the Bears the lead.

More impressively, Fields completed the first 16 passes he attempted in the game, setting a new Bears record for consecutive completions. That mark had previously been held by Shane Matthews, who completed 15 consecutive passes in a 2000 game for Chicago.

Here’s more on that.

Bears’ blown lead tied for worst meltdown in team history

The Chicago Bears seemed poised to earn their first victory of the season on Sunday, but instead they found themselves on the wrong side of a 31-28 comeback win by the Denver Broncos.

At one point in the third quarter, the Bears were winning 28-7 and were in cruise control, but after 24 unanswered points, they instead dropped to 0-4 on the season and are now staring at one of the worst stretches in team history.

In addition to adding another loss to their team-record losing streak, which now stands at 14 in a row, the Bears also tied a team record for the biggest lead they have ever blown in a game.

According to Pro Football Reference, the coughed-up 21-point lead matches the leads they lost to the New England Patriots on Nov. 10, 2002, and to the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 18, 1953.

Here’s more on that.

Bears’ decision to go for 4th down conversion ‘ridiculous,’

The Chicago Bears decided to try to convert a fourth-and-one play in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos, and that choice isn’t sitting well with fans or pundits.

The decision backfired, as Khalil Herbert was stopped short of the line to gain with less than three minutes to go in the contest.

The Broncos would go on to kick the go-ahead field goal, and the Bears ultimately lost, capping off a game where they blew a 21-point lead.

After the game, NBC Sports Chicago analyst, and former Bears defensive end, Alex Brown took exception to head coach Matt Eberflus’ decision making.

“What coach Eberflus did there is ridiculous,” he said. “I can’t wait to hear what he has to say on why he didn’t kick that field goal. You have to do it and give your defense a chance. If I’m on defense, I’m really upset with him.”

Here’s more on that.

Cole Kmet, Luke Getsy stand out

Of all the losses in the Bears’ 14 game losing streak the 31-28 loss at the hands of the Broncos has to hurt the most. The Bears had a win in their grasp, with a 28-7 lead late in the third quarter.

But they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory like they have so many times before. The offense couldn’t find a way to score when they needed it. The defense couldn’t manage a stop. Absolutely brutal. 

Here’s a breakdown of some of the studs and duds in Sunday’s game.

Bears report card: Grading Justin Fields, offense, defense in heartbreaking Broncos loss

For 45 minutes, the Bears did everything right. They fell apart quicker than a wet piece of paper in the final stanza.

Here’s Bears’ insider Josh Schrock’s deflating report card for a team that played better but couldn’t get out of its own way to snap a long losing streak.

What keeps going wrong?

The team has plenty of different answers for why things keep going wrong, and several answers for how to make things go right.

Over the course of a losing streak, usually there are one or two things a team can point to in order to turn things around. Things like getting off the field on third downs or limiting explosives on defense, or staying ahead of the sticks and capitalizing in the red zone on offense.

For the Bears it’s been a little bit of everything.

So when you ask the guys what went wrong, and what needs to change for the Bears to get their first win in nearly a year, you get a lot of different answers.

Here’s more on that.

It’s not all bad news, though

After Sunday’s loss, the Bears’ 2024-2025 NFL Draft standing has improved.

As things stand, the Bears would own not only the top pick in the draft, which they would earn by virtue of their strength-of-schedule tiebreaker victory, but would own the second pick as well, which belongs to the Panthers.

And — the owner of Claddagh Ring Pub, 2306 W. Foster Ave. in Lincoln Square, promised a Bears win or free drinks for all.

“We’re hoping they win but we’re also hoping they lose, just in case so, we may have a free bar tab,” one customer, Phillip Rodriguez, said prior to the game ending.

In those final few seconds, fans no longer cheered for the team, but for free beers.

“I saved like 40 bucks at least, but I really wanted the Bears to win,” customer Hilda Chan said.

As the calendar flips to October, teams are facing more pressure to keep pace in the standings.

The Week 4 schedule was filled with divisional battles, overtime thrillers and statement victories.

Here are some winners and losers from the fourth Sunday of the 2023 NFL season:

WINNER: Bills make a statement vs. Dolphins

All the talk entering Week 4 centered on the Miami Dolphins — and for good reason. Mike McDaniel’s squad scored 70 points in their Week 3 win, and they were on a record-setting scoring pace.

The Dolphins hype train was derailed in Buffalo on Sunday, though. Led by Josh Allen (five total touchdowns) and Stefon Digs (three receiving touchdowns), the Bills cruised to a 48-20 win over their division rival.

Beating a divisional foe is always important, but the manner in which the Bills won was notable. By halftime, they led 31-14. After the break, the game was never close. It was a massive statement victory by a team looking to win its fourth straight AFC East title.

LOSER: Bears blow 21-point lead to Broncos, losing skid continues

Late in the third quarter, the Chicago Bears had hope. Justin Fields was playing well. The home team led 28-7. The 13-game losing streak appeared to be on the brink of death. But everything flipped in the final 16 minutes.

The collapse began with Russell Wilson driving the Broncos down for a touchdown with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. The Bears punted on their next possession, then the Broncos scored again. Fields lost a fumble on the ensuing drive, which Jonathon Cooper returned for a touchdown. Tie game.

Fields and Co. had a chance to retake the lead with just under three minutes to play. But instead of kicking a 36-yard field goal on fourth-and-1, the Bears ran an unsuccessful play and turned the ball over on downs. Wilson led Denver on a field goal drive, and Fields ended the game with an interception to seal the loss. The 0-4 Bears might have hit rock bottom on Sunday while giving Sean Payton his first win as a Bronco.

WINNER: A favorite emerges in the NFC South

Last week, the NFC South went 0-4. Each team lost in a different way — but all of them looked to be in trouble.

Week 4 wasn’t much better for any of them — except for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to an easy 26-9 win over the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome, giving them sole possession of the division lead. The Saints, with Derek Carr coming off an injury, mustered just 197 yards of offense.

Elsewhere, the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers continued their losing streaks. The Falcons lost the Jaguars in London, while the Panthers dropped to 0-4 against the Vikings.

LOSER: Falcons skill players

Every week, fantasy owners are stunned by the Falcons — and not in a good way.

Rookie running back Bijan Robinson continues to produce, but Atlanta’s pass-catchers have been underwhelming for years since Arthur Smith was hired as head coach. Tight end Kyle Pitts, a former No. 4 overall pick, had two catches for 21 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars. He has just 11 catches on 21 targets through four weeks. Drake London, at least, made the most of his limited volume. The former No. 8 overall pick had three receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown in Week 4.

With Desmond Ridder at quarterback — and Marcus Mariota last year — the Falcons’ receivers continue to struggle. It’s not for a lack of talent on their end, as both Pitts and London have flashed as former top-10 picks. The 2-2 Falcons will return home to face the 2-2 Texans next week.

WINNER: Free football!

Every week of the 2023 season has featured overtime, and Week 4 was no different. In the early window, the Los Angeles Rams vs. Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders vs. Philadelphia Eagles games needed extra time.

At Lucas Oil Stadium, the Rams jumped out to a 23-0 lead over the Colts before a furious comeback. Anthony Richardson and Co. scored 23 unanswered points to force overtime, but they didn’t even get a chance in the extra period. Matthew Stafford led an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to win the game after a 22-yard strike to rookie star Puka Nacua.

The NFC East had an overtime battle of its own at Lincoln Financial Field. Jalen Hurts gave the Eagles a 31-24 lead with under two minutes to play on a touchdown throw to A.J. Brown. But Sam Howell battled back, connecting with Jahan Dotson with no time remaining to tie it up. After a Washington punt to begin OT, Jake Elliott nailed a 54-yard field goal to send the Eagles to 4-0 and the Commanders to 2-2.

LOSER: Whatever the Patriots just did

Mac Jones lost a fumble for a scoop-and-score, threw a pick-six on top of another interception and later got benched for Bailey Zappe. It’s like we’re in 2022 again. The Patriots have real problems all over the field, and they might’ve very well been 0-4 if the New York Jets had a healthy Aaron Rodgers under center. Who knows what Bill Belichick does next, but Jones is just not the long-term answer nor is there one on the current roster.

On the flip side, the Dallas Cowboys picked up major momentum after last week’s disappointing loss to the Arizona Cardinals. A 38-3 home win is just what they needed with a Sunday night road game in San Francisco looming against the 4-0 49ers.

WINNER: A non-QB MVP?

The 49ers continued their dominance early in 2023 and moved to 4-0 after a 35-16 home win against the Cardinals. Brock Purdy completed 20-for-21 passes for a clean 283 yards and a touchdown, but the star of the show — once again — was Christian McCaffrey. The versatile running back logged 106 rushing yards on 20 carries for three touchdowns and added seven catches for 71 yards and a receiving score. He’s simply been unstoppable under Kyle Shanahan.

Should the 49ers continue this all-around dominance, there’s a strong case to be made for McCaffrey in the MVP conversation. And on a day where Deebo Samuel was limited with an injury, Brandon Aiyuk returned and picked up the slack with six catches for 148 yards. Next up is Dallas at home for a chance to go 5-0.

LOSER: A rookie QB debut

Los Angeles Chargers star Khalil Mack gave Las Vegas Raiders rookie QB Aidan O’Connell his “Welcome to the NFL” moment. Six times, to be exact. Mack’s single-game sack performance ranked the second-best in NFL history, while O’Connell and Co. dropped to 1-3 in what could’ve been a snatch-and-grab win.

O’Connell, who started in place of Jimmy Garoppolo (concussion), completed 24-for-39 passes for 238 yards, one rushing touchdown and one pick, which game near the goal line late that essentially sealed the Chargers’ win.

The 25-year-old was the first rookie starting QB for the Raiders since Derek Carr in 2014, but just like Garoppolo showed through three weeks, the franchise needs a real needle mover if they hope to contend.

The Bears held a 28-7 lead over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, but they gave up 21 unanswered points to allow Denver to tie things up in the fourth quarter.

The finishing blow on the comeback came from Denver’s defense, after Nik Bonitto sacked Justin Fields, forcing a fumble. Jonathon Cooper then picked the ball up and scampered home for a 35-yard touchdown to tie the game at 28-28.

With 28 points, the Broncos became the 14^th straight Bears opponent to score at least 25 points in a game, and according to OptaSTATS, that makes the Bears the first team in NFL history to achieve that feat:

 The Bears came into the game as one of the worst defenses in the NFL, allowing 407.3 yards and 35.3 points per game. The yardage is third-worst in the league, and the 35.3 points per game likely would be the worst in the league if the Broncos hadn’t allowed 70 points to the Miami Dolphins a week ago.

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Now the Bears head back home for a game against the also-winless Denver Broncos, and one Chicago bar is confident that the Bears’ franchise-record losing streak is coming to an end this weekend.

Claddagh Ring Pub, an Irish-American sports bar located in Chicago’s Lincoln Square community area, is offering a free tab to patrons if the Bears fall to 0-4 with a loss against the Broncos.

Doors for the bar open at 11 a.m., an hour before the game’s scheduled start time. In order to be eligible for a free tab, customers must be inside before the noon kickoff.

Promo tabs will close at the conclusion of the third quarter.

In addition to a possible free tab in the event of a Bears loss, Claddagh will also be giving out free pizza to customers at halftime.

While the 2023 season is already looking bleak for Bears fans, Claddagh is making sure customers win in at least one way on Sunday.

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The team announced on Friday that augmented reality versions of Justin Fields and Cole Kmet will be launched, allowing fans with the Chicago Bears app to take pictures with the virtual versions of the two players outside the Ticketmaster gate.

In addition to the unique feature highlighting current members of the team, augmented reality has also been added to statues of Bears legends outside Soldier Field.

Using the Chicago Bears app, fans can scan QR codes next to the statues of George S. Halas and Walter Payton, giving fans information about their personal lives, contributions to the franchise and NFL and the legacies they leave behind.

Both the statues and the AR versions of Justin Fields and Cole Kmet will be located just outside the Ticketmaster gate, formerly known as Gate 0.

The Bears will hope to pick up their first victory of the year against the also-winless Broncos, with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m. local time at Soldier Field.

Following a chaotic week at Halas Hall, the team was steamrolled in a 41-10 loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The result dropped Justin Fields and Co. to 0-3 on the year and once again left the team looking for answers.

Speaking of 0-3 and looking for answers, the Bears’ next opponent is in the exact same boat.

The Denver Broncos will stumble into Chicago for a Week 4 matchup of winless squads. The Sean Payton era in Denver began with consecutive home losses to the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders. Things went from bad to historically humiliating in Week 3, as the Broncos surrendered 70 – SEVENTY – points to the Miami Dolphins in an unprecedented beatdown.

Before the Bears and Broncos fight for their first win of the year, here is everything you need to know to watch the Week 4 contest.

When is the Bears vs. Broncos Week 4 game?

The Bears will host the Broncos at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday, Oct. 1.

What time is the Bears vs. Broncos Week 4 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Broncos is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Broncos Week 4

CBS will air Bears-Broncos. Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Tiki Barber (analyst), Matt Ryan (analyst) and A.J. Ross (sideline) will be the broadcast team for the game.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Broncos.

How to stream the Bears vs. Broncos live online

Free streaming option: FuboTV (free trial)

Live stream: Paramount+, NFL+

Mobile app: Paramount+ app, NFL mobile app

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

How to listen to Bears vs. Broncos on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

What is the weather forecast for Bears vs. Broncos Week 4?

NBC Chicago forecasts beautiful weather for Sunday’s game: mostly sunny skies, a high temperature of 80 degrees and a 7% chance of rain.

Leading up to and following the announcement, rumors swirled around the media and social media about the reason for his untimely departure. Specifically, rumors of criminal activity were reported about Williams.

One rumor even mentioned Halas Hall was raided, which the Bears later said was untrue. The team told NBC Sports Chicago’s Insider Josh Schrock there was no raid or police involvement of any kind concerning Williams.

Williams retained representation from Andrew M. Stroth, a Chicago-based sports attorney who’s worked with the Bears in past situations. In this case, Stroth declared himself Williams’ attorney.

Stroth told NBC Chicago untruthful and false statements about Williams are being made, which is the reason for his representation. He affirmed Williams stepped away from the Bears to handle health challenges and family matters and referred back to Williams’ statement.

“I am taking a step back to take care of my health and my family,” Williams said in his statement. “I appreciated the opportunity to work with the Chicago Bears, a storied NFL franchise with a rich history. The McCaskey family is first-class and second to none. I would also like to thank Coach Matt Eberflus and General Manager Ryan Poles for giving me the opportunity to come to Chicago. I would also like to thank President Kevin Warren, the coaches and the players of which I value relationships and camaraderie.

“I value the NFL shield and all that it stands for and after taking some time to address my health, I plan to come back and coach again.”

In response to the criminal rumors and allegations on social media, Stroth reportedly called them “unequivocally untrue.”

“There is absolutely no criminal activity,” Stroth said on 670 the Score with Parkins & Spiegel. “There are no criminal allegations. There has been no raid on Halas Hall. None of that is true.”

Stroth said his presence in the matter is because of the “false accusations and rumors that are being circulated on social media.”

When asked if Williams will seek legal action against those making false statements about him, Stroth said no legal action is currently being taken.

In conjunction with a Bears spokesperson announcing Williams’ resignation from the team, the Bears released a statement of their own.

“Alan Williams submitted his resignation as the team’s defensive coordinator this afternoon,” read the statement.

Stroth said the Bears’ brevity in their statement when it came to addressing the situation was out of respect for Williams.

“I think the Chicago Bears organization respects Coach Williams’ privacy and his family and his health. I don’t think it’s their role to talk about one of their top employees’ health or family matters,” Stroth said.

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There are nine winless teams through two weeks – five in the AFC and four in the NFC, with the Carolina Panthers joining the club after their Monday night loss.

Some have looked better than others, depending on schedules, injuries and other misfortunes. But there’s zero doubt that they all need to win soon to save their seasons. Only 31 of the 270 teams that have started 0-2 since 1990 have reached the postseason – 11.5%.

Here’s a reverse countdown of the winless teams, starting with the squads closest to a victory and ending with the more hopeless clubs:

9. New England Patriots

Week 3: Road vs. New York Jets

The Patriots have suffered a pair of one-score home losses to open the season. That suggests that the team is close, and Week 3 against Zach Wilson and the Jets seems like the ideal spot to get a win. The Patriots have won 14 straight games against the Jets, and Wilson has seven interceptions in four career games against Bill Belichick.

8. Los Angeles Chargers

Week 3: Road vs. Minnesota Vikings

Head coach Brandon Staley could be on thin ice, making Week 3 a near must-win for the Chargers. After blowing a 27-0 lead in their playoff loss to the Jaguars, the Chargers dropped their first two games of 2023 by a combined margin of five points. Facing another 0-2 team in Minnesota could get them over the hump.

7. Minnesota Vikings

Week 3: Home vs. Los Angeles Chargers

The Vikings, like the Patriots and Chargers, have had two one-score losses this season. Those losses came against two 2-0 teams – the Buccaneers and Eagles. While Minnesota doesn’t have quite as much talent as Los Angeles, one advantage they do have is rest. The Vikings played on Thursday in Week 2, giving Kevin O’Connell and Co. a few extra days to prepare.

6. Houston Texans

Week 3: Road vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Texans went 3-13-1 last season, both of their 2023 losses have been by double digits and now they’re going on the road to play the defending AFC South champions. So, why are they not further down this page? Simply put: C.J. Stroud. The rookie QB has performed admirably through two starts with a banged-up offensive line. Jacksonville’s offense went silent in Week 2, which could indicate that Houston’s porous defense stands a chance.

5. Cincinnati Bengals

Week 3: Home vs. Los Angeles Rams (Monday Night Football)

This comes down to Joe Burrow’s health. Cincinnati’s star QB re-injured his calf in Week 2, putting his Week 3 availability in question. Burrow said postgame that he needed “a couple more sleeps” before considering his status for next Monday. But even if he does play, a home game against the Rams isn’t as welcoming as it looked heading into the season. Los Angeles is 1-1 after beating the Seahawks and hanging close with the 49ers.

4. Carolina Panthers

Week 3: Road vs. Seattle Seahawks

Losing two divisional games isn’t a promising start to the Bryce Young era. The No. 1 overall pick has, like any rookie QB, had some good and some bad moments. But the impact skill players on offense just simply aren’t there for this team. Next up is a trip to Seattle against a Seahawks team that just won on the road in Detroit. After that, they come home to play the Vikings before road games against the Lions and Dolphins.

3. Denver Broncos

Week 3: Road vs. Miami Dolphins

All close losses aren’t created equally – just look at the Broncos. Sean Payton’s team is 0-2 with a combined deficit of just three points (!). But blown leads, stagnant second-half offense and poor situational football have doomed Denver. Winning in the Miami heat is never easy, especially with how quick those weapons are. More realistically, Week 4 against the Bears looks like a better opportunity (more on Chicago in a bit).

2. Chicago Bears

Week 3: Road vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Justin Fields and the Bears look lost through two weeks. Now, they have to play the Super Bowl champions at Arrowhead. If you chalk that one up as a loss, which is fair, the 0-3 Bears host the aforementioned Broncos in Week 4. That game, a potential battle of winless teams, could be their chance. Denver has looked better than Chicago so far, though.

1. Arizona Cardinals

Week 3: Home vs. Dallas Cowboys

Sunday will go down as the Cardinals’ best chance at a win for at least a few weeks. They blew a 28-7 second-half lead at home, allowing 24 unanswered points to the Giants in a 31-28 loss. The Cardinals’ next eight opponents all have playoff aspirations: the Cowboys, 49ers, Bengals, Rams, Seahawks, Ravens, Browns and Falcons. It could be a while before Jonathan Gannon gets his first win as a head coach.

Matt Eberflus’ team dropped to 0-2 on the season with a 27-17 road loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. Justin Fields threw two interceptions, including a costly pick-six, while Baker Mayfield threw for more than 300 yards against the Bears’ defense.

After two disappointing outings to begin the year, the Bears face their toughest test yet: the defending Super Bowl champions.

The Bears will head to Kansas City in Week 3 to square off against the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes and Co. got a bounce-back victory by beating the Jacksonville Jaguars in a rematch of last season’s divisional round.

Can the Bears pull off a major upset, or will they head back to Chicago with an 0-3 record? Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Chiefs matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Chiefs Week 3 game?

The Bears will face the Chiefs in Kansas City at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, on Sunday, Sept. 24.

What time is the Bears vs. Chiefs Week 3 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Bucs is set for 3:25 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Chiefs Week 3

Bears-Bucs will air on FOX. The network’s top broadcast team of Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play), Greg Olsen (analysis), Erin Andrews (sidelines) and Tom Rinaldi (sideline) will call the game.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Bucs. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Chiefs live online

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+, FUBO

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Chiefs on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

What is the weather forecast for Bears vs. Chiefs Week 3?

NBC Chicago forecasts isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon, a high temperature of 74 degrees and a 60% chance of rain in Kansas City on Sunday.

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

Montgomery, who signed a three-year, $18 million deal with the Lions in March after spending four seasons with the Bears, had his right leg wrapped as he exited the game at the start of the fourth quarter.

The 26-year-old appeared to suffer the injury while being tackled along the sideline late in the third quarter. The Lions listed him as questionable to return.

 Montgomery had 67 yards on 16 carries, including a four-yard touchdown run that gave the Lions a 21-14 lead over the Seattle Seahawks in the third quarter. The Lions went on to lose in overtime 37-31 when Geno Smith connected with Tyler Lockett for a six-yard touchdown. The Lions, who upset the Kansas City Chiefs 21-20 in the opening game of the season, fell to 1-1.

Montgomery ran for 74 yards and scored the fourth-quarter go-ahead touchdown in the win over the defending Super Bowl champions in his first game as a Lion.

The Bears selected Montgomery in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Over four seasons with the team, he had 915 carries for 3,609 yards and 26 touchdowns and 155 receptions for 1,240 yards and four touchdowns in 60 regular-season games. 

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Justin Fields and Co. traveled to Tampa Bay for a Week 2 date with the Buccaneers. In the scorching Florida heat, the home team opted to wear white uniforms.

The Bears responded by rocking their orange alternate helmets and jerseys — a much cooler look, temperature-wise, than their traditional navy blue.

The Bears debuted their orange alternate helmets last season, when the NFL lifted its one-shell rule. They wore the helmets with their alternate orange jerseys twice in 2022, losing both times (Week 6 vs. Washington, Week 8 at Dallas).

As expected, social media had mixed thoughts on the uniforms. Some were fans of the look:

Others… well, not so much. There was plenty of negative reaction, as you can see:

The Bears trail the Bucs at halftime, 13-10.

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The team fell flat in its season-opening, 38-20 loss to the rival Green Bay Packers. Justin Fields posted 275 total yards and added in a passing touchdown, but the Bears’ defense had few answers for Jordan Love in the first game of the post-Aaron Rodgers era.

Now, the Bears will turn their attention to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Like the Packers, the Bucs picked up a W in their first contest since their future Hall of Fame quarterback departed. Baker Mayfield took the reins from Tom Brady and helped pull off a 20-17 upset over the Vikings in Minnesota.

Will the Bears bounce back, or will they move to 0-2 with a Week 3 tilt against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on the horizon? Here is how you can watch this week’s Bears-Bucs matchup:

When is the Bears vs. Bucs Week 2 game?

The Bears will face the Bucs at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Sunday, Sept. 17.

What time is the Bears vs. Buccaneers Week 2 game?

Kickoff time for Bears-Bucs is set for 12 p.m. CT.

How to watch Bears vs. Buccaneers Week 2

Bears-Bucs will air on FOX.

NBC Sports Chicago’s Football Aftershow will begin immediately following the game. Ruthie Polinsky will be joined by Lance Briggs, Alex Brown and Dave Wannstedt to break down how the Bears fared against the Bucs. 

How to stream the Bears vs. Buccaneers live online

Live stream: FoxSports.com, NFL+, FUBO

Mobile app: Fox Sports app, NFL mobile app

How to listen to Bears vs. Buccaneers on the radio

Station: ESPN 1000

What is the weather forecast for Bears vs. Buccaneers Week 2?

NBC Chicago forecasts afternoon thunderstorms in Tampa on Sunday with a high temperature of 88 degrees and a 60% chance of rain.

Editor’s note: FUBO TV is a sponsored partner and we may receive compensation if you click on our links or sign up.

The Bears dropped their Week 1 game at home to the Packers 38-20 with Jordan Love getting off to a solid start in his debut.

Love, who hadn’t yet played in the NFL since being drafted by Green Bay with the No. 26 overall pick in 2020, completed 15-for-27 passes for 245 yards, three touchdowns and no picks while averaging 9.1 yards a throw.

Justin Fields had a opener to forget, as he recorded 216 yards, one touchdown and one pick on 24-for-37 passing (5.8 average). The lone interception resulted in a pick-six for Green Bay as the Packers looked more composed and efficient on a day where Chicago hoped to be just that.

Here’s how the NFL world reacted to the Bears’ loss, their ninth straight vs. Green Bay:

Fields and Co. will look to bounce back in Week 2 when they head to Tampa Bay to face Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers, who opened the season with a 20-17 road win against the Minnesota Vikings.

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Sunday afternoon’s duel against the Packers marks the first home game in over eight months, when the Bears fell 29-13 to the Minnesota Vikings in the final game of the 2022 season on Jan. 8.

While the Week 1 performance of Justin Fields and the Bears’ rejuvenated offense is front of mind for Bears fans, here’s what fans heading to Soldier Field for Sunday’s game, scheduled to start at 3:25 p.m. local time, should know:

How to Get to the Stadium via Public Transit

Metra offers a “Bears Extra” train on the Electric Line. Sundays, the train will leave University Park at 9:30 a.m., making all stops between UP and Kensington, as well as stops at 59^th Street, 55-56-57^th Street, and 51^st/53^rd Street. The main stop will be 18^th Street, which is a short-walking distance from the stadium.

For 3:25 p.m. games, the train will depart at 1:30 p.m.

On weeknights, regularly-scheduled Metra trains will stop at 18^th Street, which is normally a flag stop during the week.

Metra tickets are $7 on Sundays. Children age-11 and younger ride for free.

Fans can also take the Chicago Transit Authority’s #128 bus from Union Station and the Ogilvie Transportation Center. The Inner Drive/Michigan Express bus will also provide service, as will the Red, Green and Orange line trains at Roosevelt.

Standard CTA fares apply, but for the season opener vs. Green Bay, Molson Coors has partnered with the CTA to offer free postgame rides on buses and trains.

Where Can I Park?

Parking facilities immediately around Soldier Field require pre-paid parking passes, and open four hours prior to kickoff. They close two hours after the game concludes.

Parking is also available at Grant Park North and South, and at Millennium Garage’s locations off of Columbus Drive.

You can find a full list of available parking lots and prices here.

Is Tailgating Allowed at Soldier Field?

Tailgating is allowed in most parking lots around the stadium, so long as fans comply with rules and regulations of the team.

The South Lot, North Parking Garage and Adler Planetarium Lots are all open for tailgating, as is the McCormick Place 31^st Street Lot, with shuttles transporting fans to the game.

Can I Bring Bags Inside the Stadium?

Clear bags up to 12x6x12 inches are accepted. A non-clear wallet, clutch, crossbody bag or purse is permitted, so long as it is 4.5×6.5 inches or less.

Medical bags are permitted after screening, according to the team. Medical bags can be screened at gates 8, 38 and 47, the team said.

Diaper bags must be clear and must fit the prescribed dimensions for larger bags.

When Do Gates Open?

Gates to the stadium open two hours prior to kickoff.

One Final Reminder:

Soldier Field remains a completely cashless facility, according to the team.

Ahead of the Sunday afternoon battle, the Bears posted a hype video on Instagram as the Monsters of the Midway look to flip the script on their rivalry with the Packers.

Coming off a 3-14 season that awarded them the first overall pick, the Bears offer a new look as franchise quarterback Justin Fields enters his third NFL season.

Highlighted by offseason acquisitions of wide receiver D.J. Moore and edge rusher Yannick Ngakoue, the former acquired in a trade involving the draft’s top pick, the Bears will hope to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2020.

The start of the season couldn’t come with a bigger test, as the Bears will have to take on the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers in a prime opportunity to turn the tables on one of professional sports’ most famous rivalries.

Kickoff on Sunday is slated for 3:25 p.m. local time from Soldier Field.

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