The Chicago Bears have hit the bye at 7-2 and are sitting in first place of the gauntlet NFC North. The Bears have a tough second-half schedule but certainly appear to be headed to the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Last season, the Bears won the division, won their first playoff game in 15 years, and they were an eyelash away from reaching the NFC Championship Game. I think 99% of Bears fans, after the sting of the Rams loss wore off, were very pleased with the results of the 2025 season, even
if they lost the last game they played.
This year, at approximately the midway point in the season, the Bears are at or near the top of everyone’s list of a true Super Bowl contender. With more success comes more expectations.
How far do Bears have to go for you to be satisfied with their season?
I think as fans, when the team is building something, we want to see them improve upon the previous season. Since there were only four teams that had more postseason success than Chicago, there isn’t a ton of room to improve. That being said, I think Bears fans and NFL media around the country expect the Bears to be better than they were in 2025.
Answer: I think the first obvious step is that for any level of satisfaction to be reached, the Bears have to be one of the last four remaining teams in the NFL. That’s a lofty thing to say, but I think it’s fair. I think if the Bears make the playoffs but lose in the Wild Card or Divisional round, there will be plenty of disappointment with the fan base. Yes, fans will be excited that the Bears made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2005 and 2006, but that won’t be good enough. Even if the Bears win a playoff game in back-to-back seasons, it’ll be the first time they’ve done that since 1984 and 1985, but even then, that won’t be good enough.
I think for some fans, reaching the NFC Championship Game will be enough. If the San Francisco 49ers are the 1 seed and the Bears go on the road and lose in that game, there will be a certain level of satisfaction, but I still don’t think that’s enough.
I think the Bears need to reach the Super Bowl for me to walk away feeling excited without too much disappointment. Obviously, I want them to win, but if Josh Allen climbs the mountaintop and beats the Bears and wins the Super Bowl, am I going to be freaking out? No, I just think the Bears will be ready to take the next step in 2027.
What say you, Bears fans? How far do the Bears have to go this year for you to be content with their season? Is it Super Bowl or bust, like it is for Bill Zimmerman? Is it the Lombardi Trophy? Or is a lower level of success good enough for you? Sound off in the comments below!
