The Chicago Bears fans had it rough in 2020. It was bad enough watching the team squander a 5-1 start to the season to finish 8-8. Yet what made it worse was they were forced to do it from their homes. Chicago was one of those cities around the country that steadfastly refused to allow fans in their sports stadiums throughout the pandemic. A situation that didn’t exactly make Mayor Lori Lightfoot popular among many.
Some feared that the exile might continue into 2021. Thankfully that doesn’t appear to be the case. With vaccines rolling out across the country, it appears Lightfoot is ready to start returning the city to a sense of normalcy. That includes allowing fans back into Soldier Fields. The Bears announced on their social media that single-game tickets for the preseason and regular season will go on sale May 12th. The same day the NFL unveils the 2021 schedule.
“Bears preseason and regular-season single-game tickets and suites will go on sale to the general public next Wednesday, May 12, at 8:30 p.m. CT, shortly after the 2021 NFL regular-season schedule is announced by the league. The Bears are working closely with city, state and public health officials to safely welcome fans back to Soldier Field for the 2021 season. All city, state and league COVID-19 safety policies will be strictly enforced at Bears home games this season.”
The timing of this couldn’t be better.
Excitement for the Bears is reaching a fever pitch follow what happened in the NFL draft. Trading up in the 1st round for Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has reignited the hype machine. Fans believe the team has scored a genuine stud with franchise quarterback potential. They’ll want to get a close-up look at him as soon as possible. This means the Bears could rake in a considerable amount of money even with their preseason tickets.
This doesn’t count the rest of their revamped offense as well. New left tackle Teven Jenkins. Super Bowl hero Damien Williams and 6th round pick Khalil Herbert at running back. Speed freaks Marquise Goodwin and Damiere Byrd at wide receiver. Not to mention 6th round pick Dazz Newsome. There are plenty of subplots to gobble up this August. One can only imagine how jacked fans will be to get back into Soldier Field.
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Chicago Bears may not be done tweaking the roster either
GM Ryan Pace is notorious for always shuffling the bottom of his roster looking for help. As the draft fades into the rearview mirror, other teams are starting to unload certain players they no longer need. This could open up an opportunity for the Bears to add more help. Not to mention the traditional roster cuts that will take place before the season in September. So the fun may not be over and should offer more things to look forward to ahead of the season.
It appears the Chicago Bears have a plan in place. Andy Dalton is expected to be the starting quarterback this year. That is why the team signed him. They wanted somebody with proven experience who can be reliable under center. As a former three-time Pro Bowler who looked solid off the bench in Dallas last year? It’s not a crazy notion. Head coach Matt Nagy doesn’t want to throw Fields out there until he’s ready.
That may not satisfy some Bears fans, but it’s not a terrible idea.
It worked for Patrick Mahomes. It worked for Aaron Rodgers. Such a plan has plenty of merits. Either way, it’s obvious hope is restored in Chicago. For the first time in over a year, people feel good about the future of this football team. Fields has the talent to carry them. It falls to the team brass to build the structure around him.