The Chicago Bears 2026 schedule is out. There are plenty of notable facts about it. As of now, it is considered the toughest in the NFL, featuring nine games against playoff teams from last season. That includes both Super Bowl participants. There is always a price to pay for winning. Even so, there are some benefits to consider. The Bears have one of the lowest travel schedules this season, barely clearing 10,000 total miles. Also, they have a bye in week ten, directly in the middle of the season.

So it’s not like the deck is completely stacked against them. Remember, the Bears ended up having the second-hardest schedule in the NFL last season and still went 11-6. This team isn’t afraid of a challenge. So let’s go through it all, game by game, and predict how it all plays out. Will the Bears duplicate their success from last year, or will they regress as many expect?

How I see the Chicago Bears 2026 schedule playing out.

Week 1 (Sept 13): at Carolina Panthers – Win

Two of the best offensive play-callers in the NFL going head-to-head should be fun. That said, Carolina was not good against the run last season. They allowed at least 100 yards on the ground in all but five of their games. You can bet Ben Johnson will look to exploit that.

Week 2 (Sept 20): vs. Minnesota Vikings – Win

Adding Kyler Murray makes the Vikings a much tougher matchup offensively compared to last season. However, they also lost a gigantic chunk of their defensive front to cap issues. They’ll be leaning on rookie Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange to fill those gaps, which isn’t likely to help this early in the year.

Week 3 (Sept 28): vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Win

We already know the Bears can beat the Eagles, as we saw last season. That was in Philadelphia. This time it will be in Chicago, where the Bears were 6-2 last season. The Eagles are about to lose star wide receiver A.J. Brown and are relying on an untried offensive coordinator in Sean Mannion.

Week 4 (Oct 4): vs. New York Jets – Win

The Jets are in the middle of a rebuild. While they had a good offseason, they’re miles away from being a playoff contender. Questions linger at quarterback as they lean on Geno Smith, who had a dismal year in Las Vegas last season. Unless the Bears sleepwalk, this is as close to a gimme as it gets.

Week 5 (Oct 11): at Green Bay Packers – Loss

Winning in Green Bay is always tough. Everybody knows the Packers will be all revved up for this one after their humiliating playoff collapse in January. Micah Parsons should be back by then. Combine his pass rush and a raucous crowd, and it will be difficult to pull that one out.

Week 6 (Oct 18): at Atlanta Falcons – Win

Like the Jets, this team is also searching for an identity. They also have lingering quarterback problems. Michael Penix has been a disappointment. Their only other option is Tua Tagovailoa. They also weren’t good at stopping the run. Add that together, and you get a Chicago Bears win.

Week 7 (Oct 22): vs. New England Patriots – Win

The Patriots are facing two major issues. One is the obvious threat of a Super Bowl hangover. Teams that lose the big almost always have worse records than the previous year. The other is Mike Vrabel’s very public affair with Dianna Russini. New England is still tough, but such distractions make them easier to topple.

Week 8 (Nov 2): at Seattle Seahawks – Loss

The defending champions are hard to beat in any situation. Taking them down in that home stadium of theirs is close to impossible. They were 8-2 in that building last season. That defense is still one of the league’s best, and Sam Darnold typically plays well against the Bears.

Week 9 (Nov 8): vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Win

Things didn’t go well for the Bucs last season. Their offense took a big step back, and their defense was awful against the pass. It is hoped that a shakeup to both coordinator spots helps, but this feels like a team trending in the wrong direction. They better hope Rueben Bain helps that pass rush, or Caleb Williams will feast.

Week 11 (Nov 22): vs. New Orleans Saints – Win

The Bears won against the Saints handily last season. Don’t expect a similar cakewalk this time. New Orleans has a promising quarterback in Tyler Shough and has significantly invested in its offense with free-agent Travis Etienne and 1st-round receiver Jordyn Tyson. Chicago wins in a nail-biter.

Week 12 (Nov 26): at Detroit Lions – Win

Everybody remembers the 52-21 drubbing the last time Chicago went into Ford Field. The outcome won’t be nearly as bad this time, but the fact is, the Bears have lost four straight in that building. However, the Lions are 1-4 under Dan Campbell on Thanksgiving. This will be a tight, but satisfying win.

Week 13 (Dec 6): vs. Jacksonville Jaguars – Loss

Unfortunately, the extra time off won’t help the Chicago Bears avoid a brutal follow-up game against a really good Jaguars team. They had a top 10 offense and top 10 defense last season. That includes ranking #1 against the run. This just feels like a bad matchup.

Week 14 (Dec 13): at Miami Dolphins – Win

Malik Willis gave the Bears some problems when he was with Green Bay, but he isn’t bringing the surrounding talent or offensive structure with him to Miami. That team basically gutted its roster to begin a rebuild. Coach Johnson loves beating up on Jeff Hafley and any current or former Packers.

Week 15 (Dec 19): at Buffalo Bills – Loss

Playing against Josh Allen is difficult enough. Playing against him in Buffalo during the winter is really tough. The Bears can beat the Bills. They match up pretty well. This will just be a case of the home team being more comfortable in the environment and having an alien at quarterback.

Week 16 (Dec 25): vs. Green Bay Packers – Win

As with last year, the two eternal rivals hold serve at home. Even with Parsons back, the Bears still manage to handle their business in a crucial game during the final stretch. They handled odd-scheduled games quite well last season and should be plenty motivated on Christmas Day.

Week 17 (Jan 3): vs. Detroit Lions – Win

The Bears get a nice bit of revenge on Detroit, avenging their season sweep from last year with one of their own. Good health will play a big part in why. Their secondary will be close to full strength, allowing them to better contain Amon-Ra St. Brown, who went wild in both 2025 games.

Week 18 (Jan 10): at Minnesota Vikings – Loss

Containing Murray indoors on that turf will be a nightmare. That is before you recall that the Bears are 1-4 in their last five regular season finales. A 4th quarter comeback was needed to beat J.J. McCarthy last year. This time, they won’t be able to keep up.

Final record: 12-5

The Chicago Bears’ schedule pretty much leaked before the official announcement. It will be packed with primetime and holiday games, with many of their toughest matchups in the first half. That said, they get a bye week right in the middle of the season, have one of the shortest travel schedules in the league, and host two of the final three divisional games to end the season. Nobody can say they’ve been treated unfairly. What wasn’t known was how their preseason would shape up this year.

Even though the games don’t matter on the scoreboard, they always serve as great proving grounds for competition and offer a taste of where the team’s preparation is at. This year will offer an interesting slate. The Bears will open the action at home against the Cleveland Browns. Their team just gutted its coaching staff and has questions at quarterback. Then it’s a visit to Cincinnati, where the defense will get to test its mettle against Joe Burrow and that loaded Bengals offense. Lastly, they’ll head to Tennessee for their first look at former #1 pick Cam Ward.

The Chicago Bears will have an overlooked opportunity.

Keep in mind that two of those teams, the Browns and Titans, just changed coaching staffs. That means there is a considerable chance that they might end up making some unexpected cuts before the season in September. By playing against them in the preseason, the Bears will have an opportunity for a close-up look at some of the players they choose to unload. It makes for a great way to pounce on any waiver wire options to help shore up the bottom of their roster going into the season.

We’ll also see where the defense is in its rebuilding. Cincinnati torched them last year for 42 points. Even if it’s just for one quarter, seeing them take on that loaded passing attack will tell a lot about their overall progress as a unit. Has the speed upgrade truly helped, or do the problems run deeper? Last but not least, we’ll see how Caleb Williams is progressing in year two of this offense. The Bears won’t call many creative plays, but it will be interesting to see if there’s any progress in his pocket management.

There are also several position battles to settle.

It starts at left tackle. Braxton Jones and Jedrick Wills are considered the two favorites to step in for the injured Ozzy Trapilo this season. A wide open competition was declared from the start, and both young men have starting experience. It will come down to who’s healthier and who puts together a more consistent training camp. This could boil down to how they perform in the preseason, where brief matchups against Myles Garrett and Boye Mafe will help clarify things for the coaches.

You’ll also have Tyrique Stevenson vs. Malik Muhammad at cornerback, D’Marco Jackson vs. Jack Sanborn and Keyshaun Elliott at middle linebacker, Garrett Bradbury vs. Logan Jones at center, and Kalif Raymond vs. Zion Young at returner. These are some really important spots the Chicago Bears need to figure out. The coaches haven’t been shy about carrying things all the way through the preseason. It’s possible that it will be the case again.

The Chicago Bears made it a long way in 2025. Head coach Ben Johnson and his staff overcame a 0-2 start and tons of injuries to go 11-6, win the NFC North, and win a playoff game. Most people would be thrilled with that outcome. Johnson wasn’t one of them. While he didn’t outright say the season was a failure, he certainly treated it like one. The effort everybody gave wasn’t good enough. This team is about winning championships. Now they must start from scratch and try again this season. Johnson put multiple players on notice that they had better improve this year. Could Dennis Allen have gotten similar treatment?

Dan Bernstein has been a staple of Chicago sports radio for decades. He’s covered the Bears for a long time and believes something is rumbling beneath the surface at Halas Hall. During his 312 Sports podcast, he laid out why he believes Allen is on the hot seat and has been told as much. All one has to do is listen to what the Bears have said in the past couple of weeks. Johnson said talent wasn’t the only issue with what happened on defense last year. They need to coach better. Allen pointed the finger directly at himself, stating that his eagerness to implement his scheme led him to neglect the fundamentals.

Johnson was not happy about it and made those feelings known to the coordinator.

Firing Dennis Allen so quickly sounds crazy, but is it?

Based on numbers alone, the defense was bad last season. They were in the bottom five against the pass, run, and in points allowed. Their only saving grace was leading the league in turnovers. Even so, Allen did some good work in the playoffs, shutting Green Bay down in the second half of the wild card round and giving the Rams fits a week later. One would think Johnson would be encouraged by that. Bernstein doesn’t think so. There is some data to back this up. Johnson isn’t the type of coach who’d be afraid of making quick changes.

After all, he learned under two head coaches who did so and saw positive results. Dan Campbell has done it twice in Detroit since taking over in 2021. Joe Philbin did it in Miami as well.

Detroit went from 22nd offensively to 4th after firing Lynn. Miami went from 25th in scoring to 11th after firing Sherman. Johnson’s experience tells him that making a change often leads to better things when it becomes clear something isn’t working. Don’t think for a second that’s not in the back of his mind as Allen enters year two.

Allen controls his own destiny.

The Bears have worked to provide him with more support this offseason. Their biggest free agent signings (Coby Bryant and Devin Bush) were both on the defensive side. They also spent a 1st round pick on safety Dillon Thieneman. Dennis Allen has a unit that is now younger and faster than last season. Most of the players have spent a season learning the scheme, so that shouldn’t be as pressing an issue. If he can’t get better performances out of them this season, that will raise some concerns.

The reality is that the personnel situation will never be perfect on defense. It never is. What matters is how much the coach gets out of the pieces he has. Allen got a pass last year because he was working with mostly players he didn’t acquire, and lots of injuries to key guys. One of those issues has been addressed. It is reasonable to assume they’ll have better health luck this year. If all of this still results in a finish outside the top 20, don’t be shocked if Johnson decides it’s time for a change.

Drafting Sam Roush in the 3rd round was not what anybody expected from the Chicago Bears. Taking a tight end that high when you already have two who are capable of starting didn’t make logistical sense. Sure, head coach Ben Johnson likes to run lots of “12” and “13” personnel, but one would think you can find a plenty serviceable third tight end in the later rounds. The Bears made it clear their decision was purely based on football reasons. Roush was arguably the best blocker in the draft and had enough athletic upside to be a threat in the pass game as well.

That is fair. Experts validated the assessment in the days following the pick. While the need might not have been there, there was no question that the Bears got a good football player. It will just be on Johnson to ensure Roush, Colston Loveland, and Cole Kmet are juggled properly. That said, it is possible there was another motivation for the move. One that was less football and more business-related. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN revealed that belief inside the league is that tight end contracts are about to explode, and it appears the Bears moved to get ahead of it by stacking their roster with young, cheap talent.

“One sneaky position to watch is tight end. Wide receivers make double what tight ends do despite the position’s increasing prominence. Detroit’s Sam LaPorta and Green Bay’s Tucker Kraft are eligible for extensions now, and they could push to be among the highest paid at the position (at least $19 million per year). Blocking tight ends now make $8 million per year in free agency. Expect that number to rise. Day 2 of the draft reminded us how starved offenses are for good blockers to feature in their two- and three-tight-end sets. And by the spring, Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers will be eligible for an extension.”

Drafting Sam Roush makes even more sense now.

Part of running a successful organization is having one eye on the future at all times. There is a strong probability that Bears general manager Ryan Poles knew the tight end market was shifting after Cardinals standout Trey McBride got a massive $19 million per year extension. If he gets something like that, you can probably imagine what awaits ascending talents like Brock Bowers and Tucker Kraft in the near future. One or both could crack $20 million per year.

Now look at it from the Bears’ perspective. They have two massive contracts they’re preparing to hand out on offense. One will go to right tackle Darnell Wright, and the other will go to quarterback Caleb Williams. It is quite possible that the team may have to sacrifice some other guys on the payroll to accomplish this. An obvious name would be Kmet, which would be a brutal loss. Still, by drafting Sam Roush, they have two rookie contracts in place that should be affordable over the next four years, allowing the Bears to remain cap flexible.

The Bears continue to show their forward-thinking.

Not only was Roush a strong pick to help the Bears lean into one of the NFL’s dominating trends, but it was also their way of remaining as financially responsible as they can. Time will tell if this was a good draft pick. We need to see him on the field. However, you can’t argue it was a smart draft pick. The Bears accomplished multiple goals at once with it. If Roush turns out to be a quality player, even better. Having so many people swear by him offers plenty of confidence.

Right now, Kmet has two years left on his current deal. The Bears won’t move him this year. They have no reason to. In 2027, that topic gets more interesting. They would receive $10 million in additional cap space by cutting or trading him. He’d only be 28 years old, so the latter would certainly be possible. Other teams might be eager to secure a tight end in his prime at that price and with those skills. At the same time, the Bears will likely be starting the process of extending Loveland while Roush prepares to take over Kmet’s duties.

There is no telling if that’s the actual plan, but it’s trending that way based on the information available.

Don’t get it twisted. Drafting Logan Jones in the 2nd round was an easy decision for the Chicago Bears. They’d lost Drew Dalman to retirement a few months ago. Garrett Bradbury, whom they traded for after the announcement happened, only has one year left on his contract. They needed a long-term option. Head coach Ben Johnson became smitten with Jones early in the process, loving his tape and loving the person even more. He saw an athletic, intelligent, and experienced player who could step in immediately and be a great fit for this offense.

However, there may have been additional motivation for the Bears to pick Jones 57th overall, which was somewhat earlier than many projected. Recently, CHGO brought on Justin Kammrad, Jones’ high school coach, to discuss the team’s new center. Amidst all the great things he had to say about the player, he revealed a bit of inside information that further explains why the Bears pounced when they did. Apparently, the Los Angeles Rams had been showing tons of interest in Jones throughout the draft process and were likely going to grab him with their 61st overall pick.

Logan Jones had a tinge of revenge to it.

There’s no question the Bears forgot about their playoff loss to the Rams a few months ago. The last thing they wanted or needed was for that team to get better. What better way to needle them than by swiping a player they wanted? You can tell it threw off their board, too. When they went on the clock, they opted to take tight end Max Klare. This caused a lot of confusion, since the Rams already had three solid tight ends on the roster: Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, and Terrance Ferguson.

That felt like an emergency option if the guy they wanted wasn’t there. After all, the Rams were saddled with one of the worst-rated centers of the 2025 season. Coleman Shelton ranked 28th in pass-blocking, allowing 24 pressures. Interior pressure was a big reason why L.A. failed to reach the Super Bowl in their loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Logan Jones would’ve been a step in the right direction, given his reputation as a quality pass blocker. Now they have to watch him further his career in Chicago.

Now we see how long it takes Jones to crack the lineup.

Right now, head coach Ben Johnson has made it clear that veteran Garrett Bradbury is penciled in as the starter. That isn’t a surprise. He usually prefers experience at that spot. However, Jones started 51 games for Iowa. He is anything but raw. The key for him will be how quickly he picks up the offense, particularly the many protection calls required. His communication and chemistry with quarterback Caleb Williams will be a huge factor. From what we know about his character, that won’t be an issue.

One can only hope the Bears get another crack at the Rams in the playoffs next season. Beating them there, with help from a player they badly wanted, would make it so much sweeter. Time will tell how notable this decision turns out to be. If Jones becomes a high-quality player for the Bears, Los Angeles will end up kicking themselves for not being more aggressive to get him. It won’t totally make up for that overtime loss in January, but it’ll be a nice little jab back.

The Chicago Bears 2026 schedule has begun leaking with under 24 hours before the full reveal. This tracker will help people get a full picture of how things will unfold as each reveal comes out.

Week 1 – @ Carolina Panthers

Going on the road to start a season is never easy. The fact that Chicago will go against a playoff team from last year heightens the sense of urgency. Carolina has improved a lot on paper this offseason, so this should be a considerable challenge for a team that tends to start slowly.

Week 2 – vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Bears will be one of the first division rivals to see Kyler Murray in that new purple uniform. He will certainly present more of a challenge than any of the options Minnesota had last year. This is not a game they can afford to take lightly. It nearly sank their season before it barely began last year.

Week 3 – vs. Philadelphia Eagles (MNF)

The Eagles undoubtedly remember the humiliating beatdown Chicago handed them in Philadelphia last year, capped by Ben Johnson’s shirtless celebration in the locker room. Good teams like that will come in seeking all sorts of revenge. The Bears better be prepared for a dogfight.

Chicago Bears 2026 schedule gets interesting after the first month

Week 4 – vs. New York Jets

There won’t be many should-win games on the schedule this year. This is one of them. The Jets were a bad team last season, and they still have several problems on paper that make them plenty beatable. Not the least of which are lingering issues at the quarterback position.

Week 5 – at Green Bay Packers (4:25)

This could be a slight break for the Bears. Going into Green Bay this early means that Micah Parsons may not be 100% fully recovered from his knee injury last season. Either way, blood will be in the water for this one as the Packers seek revenge for their humiliation in the playoffs.

Week 6 – at Atlanta Falcons

You can probably bet this game will be bogged down by Bears fans still grumbling about Ian Cunningham and the lost compensatory picks. Either way, it should be an interesting matchup as that team works to figure out its quarterback situations while Cunningham retools the roster.

Week 7 – vs. New England Patriots (TNF)

The reigning AFC champions crushed the Bears the last time they visited Soldier Field, with Drake Maye soundly outplaying Caleb Williams. Both teams are significantly different from two years ago, and this will be a massive measuring stick for Chicago and whether they’re ready for a Super Bowl push.

Week 8 – at Seattle Seahawks (MNF)

While it isn’t opening night as many expected, the NFL wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity to put the Bears in Seattle on national TV against the defending champions. This could be perfect timing. It would give the Bears a great litmus test of where they are in terms of their season progress.

Week 9 – vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (SNF)

Williams vs. Mayfield. Two former Oklahoma quarterbacks match up for the first time. That should be a fun one. It will come down to which defense shows improvement from a disappointing 2025. This is where the Bears being at home could be big.

Week 10 – BYE

Week 11 – vs. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are always an enigma. You never know what you’ll get from season to season. Sometimes they’re really good and other times they stink. What we know is they have a smart offensive head coach and a young quarterback in Tyler Shough, who finished last season strong. That alone makes them a threat.

Week 12 – at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving)

No doubt this Chicago Bears 2026 schedule will involve some high tension in this game. Coach Johnson likely hasn’t forgotten his former team swept him last year. Getting revenge on them in their own building on national television would be a sweet bit of revenge.

Week 13 – vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars were a really good team last year, boasting a top 10 scoring offense and top 10 scoring defense, finishing with a 13-4 record. Their playoff loss to Buffalo was a massive disappointment. Going into Soldier Field and making a statement will be on their minds.

Week 14 – at Miami Dolphins

A team that has entered a rebuilding phase. The Dolphins will try to make a go of it with Malik Willis at quarterback, but this feels like one of the easier games on the Chicago Bears’ 2026 schedule. It’s also later in the year, so the notorious Florida heat won’t be as prevalent.

Week 15 – at Buffalo Bills (Saturday)

The D.J. Moore reunion game. Chicago will get to see Buffalo’s brand new stadium late in the year. It starts what appears to be the most brutal stretch of the season for them. While it may not hold the importance of divisional games, this will be a telling contest about their Super Bowl aspirations.

Week 16 – vs. Green Bay Packers (Christmas)

You always knew the NFL would put these two teams in a massive primetime slot somewhere. Having them duke it out on Christmas Day probably isn’t what fans were hoping for. The last thing they want to do is stress on such an important holiday, but a Bears win would certainly make it way better.

Week 17 – vs. Detroit Lions

The Bears always have to end their schedule each year against division rivals. It’ll be the Lions who come to town for the second-to-last matchup. They took down the Bears in a 19-16 contest in the finale last year. This game could end up being way more important for both parties.

Week 18 – @Minnesota Vikings

Ending the Chicago Bears 2026 schedule on the road in Minnesota is a tough ask. That building is always a difficult place to play, especially with that crowd and that defense. Johnson will need his players ready to go because it could very well decide their season.