Leading up to kickoff of the 2026 NFL season, TeamFB7 is going in-depth on each team from its strengths and weaknesses to breakout players, intriguing rookies and overall predictions. Next up are the Chicago Bears.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was unsuccessful in his initial attempt to officially trademark the nickname “Iceman.”
(Pro Basketball Hall of Famer George “The Iceman” Gervin also filed for the trademark and plans to contest the matter further if needed.)
But there’s no denying he was the most clutch late-game QB in football last year, leading the Bears to seven fourth quarter comebacks (including the playoff win over the rival Green Bay Packers).
Overall, the 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick took a big step forward in his second season with 3,942 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions along with 388 rushing yards and 3 TDs in leading the Bears to 11 wins and their first NFC North title since 2018.
With the 31-27 win over the Packers in the playoffs, it marked the first time the team went past the wildcard round since 2010.
As for Chicago’s unofficial “Iceman,” here’s the breakdown of those comeback wins:
Week 4 at Las Vegas Raiders: The Bears trailed in a one-score game from the middle of the third quarter all the way until RB D’Andre Swift capped an 11-play, 69-yard TD drive with 1:34 left for the winning score in a 25-24 win. Williams passed for 42 yards and rushed for 18 on the game-winning drive.
Week 6 at Washington Commanders: The Bears went down 8 points early in the fourth quarter, but Williams answered immediately with a 55-yard TD connection with Swift a minute later and then a field goal drive in the final minute for a 25-24 win.
Week 9 at Cincinnati Bengals: After the Bears squandered a 14-point fourth quarter lead, they went down by a point with 54 seconds left. Williams led a four-play, 72-yard TD drive with a 14-yard scramble on third-and-10 and then a 58-yard deep shot to TE Colston Loveland for the go-ahead score in a 47-42 shootout victory.
Week 10 vs. New York Giants: Down 10 points in the fourth quarter, Williams led the Bears on two touchdown drives inside the final 4 minutes. He passed for 50 yards and rushed for 36 on a nine-play 91-yard TD drive, capped by a 2-yard toss to Rome Odunze with 3:56 left. And then after the Chicago defense forced a quick punt, Williams soon scored on a 17-yard scramble for the decisive score in a 24-20 win.
Week 11 at Minnesota Vikings: The Bears squandered their own 13-point fourth quarter lead to fall down a point with 50 seconds left, but Chicago got a long kickoff return to set up the game-winning field goal for a 19-17 victory. Williams wasn’t really a factor in the decisive drive, but it counts technically.
Week 16 vs. Green Bay Packers: Green Bay went up 16-6 with 5:03 remaining before Williams took control of the game, leading a 43-yard field goal drive and then, after the Bears recovered an onside kick, he completed 6 of 8 passes for 53 yards and a game-tying 6-yard TD to Jahdae Williams with 24 seconds left. Chicago won in overtime, 22-16, on Williams’ 46-yard TD strike to DJ Moore.
Wildcard Round vs. Green Bay Packers: Three weeks later the Bears stunned the Packers again, this time rallying back from a 21-6 fourth quarter deficit with 25 points in the final frame. That included two field goal drives and three touchdown drives. Williams passed for 161 yards and 2 TDs in the fourth quarter, including a 27-yard connection to Odunze on fourth-and-8 (see below) on the penultimate touchdown drive and later the game-winning 25-yard TD to Moore with 1:43 to go.
So what’s in store for Year 2 of the Ben Johnson Era?
Chicago Bears Reset
2025 Finish: 11-6, NFC North title, lost 20-17 in overtime to Rams in divisional round
Head Coach: Ben Johnson, second season
Hot Seat Meter (0-10): 0
Offensive Coordinator: Press Taylor, first season (promoted from within after Declan Doyle left for Ravens, previously Jaguars OC; Johnson is offensive play-caller)
Defensive Coordinator: Dennis Allen, second season (previously HC of Raiders and Saints, DC for Broncos and Saints)
Best Offseason Move: Traded WR DJ Moore (and a fifth-round pick) for a second-round pick
We actually really liked this trade for the Bills in acquiring Moore, but it also made sense for the Bears as Moore was usurped by the team’s young wideouts Rome Odunze and Luther Burden last season and wasn’t going to be happy with his role.
It remains to be seen what value the Bears got from that second-round pick as they flipped it to the Titans, moving back from No. 60 to No. 69 (taking TE Sam Roush from Stanford) and adding pick No. 144, which became part of a package to trade up with the Panthers for picks No. 124 (CB Malik Muhammad from Texas) and No. 166 (LB Keyshaun Elliott from Arizona State).
The answer to this question would have been signing free agent safety Coby Bryant away from the Super Bowl champion Seahawks, but Bryant sustained a season-ending knee injury in training camp.
Worst Offseason Move: Not addressing needs at edge rusher
Eighth-year veteran Montez Sweat, coming off a strong season with 10 sacks, is a productive player off the edge, but behind him there isn’t much to speak of — Dayo Odeyingbo (1 sack in 8 games last season, 17.5 over five NFL season), Austin Booker (4.5 sacks in 10 games in his second season), Daniel Hardy (0 sacks in three seasons) and Jamree Kromah (undrafted in 2024, yet to play an NFL game).
Chicago Bears Roster Breakdown
Biggest Strength: Passing attack
Williams, a Heisman Trophy winner at USC, sure looked the part of a franchise quarterback last season. He simply makes throws that few quarterbacks can or even dare try to — like that fourth-and-8 missile to Odunze in the playoff comeback vs. the Packers or the back-pedaling, game-tying 14-yard touchdown to TE Cole Kmet on fourth down to force overtime in the divisional round vs. the Rams.
And Odunze (44 catches for 661 yards and 6 TD in 12 games last season), Burden (47-652-2 in 15 games while coming on strong late) and TE Colston Loveland (58-713-6) are only going to keep getting better.
Biggest Weakness: Pass rush and run defense
We touched on the lack of depth at edge rusher. Meanwhile, the Bears also gave up the sixth-most rushing yards in the NFL last season (134.5 YPG) and it remains to be seen how much they improved the front seven.
They let leading tackler Tremaine Edmunds leave as a free agent for the Giants while signing former Packers LB Devin Bush to a big contract in his place to play next to returning starter T.J. Edwards. That’s a negligible swap.
On the interior of the defensive line, Grady Jarrett is back at one spot while signing journeymen Neville Gallimore (26 starts in six years for the Cowboys, Rams and Colts) and Kentavious Street (10 starts in seven seasons for four teams) to round out the rotation.
Most Intriguing Rookie: S Dillon Thieneman
Dillon Thieneman was a good draft value at the 25th pick as the Oregon standout was widely considered the second-best safety in the draft. He debuts as an instant starter for the Bears this year.
Breakout Player: Wide receiver Luther Burden III
The 39th overall pick in the draft last year out of Missouri took off over the second half of last season with 481 of his 652 receiving yards coming in the final eight games.
The best is yet to come.
MVP Pick: QB Caleb Williams
The Iceman, duh!
2026 Chicago Bears Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| Week 1, Sept. 13 | at Carolina Panthers | 1 p.m. |
| Week 2, Sept. 20 | vs. Minnesota Vikings | 1 p.m. |
| Week 3, Sept. 28 (Monday) | vs. Philadelphia Eagles | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 4, Oct. 4 | vs. New York Jets | 1 p.m. |
| Week 5, Oct. 11 | at Green Bay Packers | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 6, Oct. 18 | at Atlanta Falcons | 1 p.m. |
| Week 7, Oct. 22 (Thursday) | vs. New England Patriots | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 8, Nov. 2 (Monday) | at Seattle Seahawks | 8:15 p.m. |
| Week 9, Nov. 8 | vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 10 | BYE WEEK | |
| Week 11, Nov. 22 | vs. New Orleans Saints | 1 p.m. |
| Week 12, Nov. 26 (Thursday) | at Detroit Lions | 1 p.m. |
| Week 13, Dec. 6 | vs. Jacksonville Jaguars | 1 p.m. |
| Week 14, Dec. 13 | at Miami Dolphins | 1 p.m. |
| Week 15, Dec. 19 (Saturday) | at Buffalo Bills | 8:20 p.m. |
| Week 16, Dec. 25 (Friday) | vs. Green Bay Packers | 1 p.m. |
| Week 17, Jan. 3 | vs. Detroit Lions | 4:25 p.m. |
| Week 18, TBD (Flex Game) | at Minnesota Vikings | TBD |
2026 Chicago Bears Season Prediction And Parting Thoughts
Season Prediction: 11-6
It’s hard to see last season as anything but just the start for Johnson in Chicago. He was arguably the most coveted head coach last cycle and proved why by immediately changing the fortunes of the franchise.
With so much young talent driving the core of his offense, the Bears are on a steady upward trajectory.
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