Caleb Williams had been a star for a long time. He thought he knew what football fans were like. The first taste came in high school, when he built a following in Washington, D.C., at the helm of his championship team. Then he got a taste of two blue-blood fandoms at Oklahoma and USC. Both were outspoken and passionate. Williams thought those experiences prepared him for what to expect from Chicago Bears fans when he arrived as the #1 overall pick in 2024. He couldn’t have been more wrong.

That first year didn’t show him much. The Bears got off to a good start but completely fell apart after their bye week, losing ten in a row. Fans did nothing other than voice their displeasure with the coaching staff, who were quickly purged after the season. Everything changed last year. Ben Johnson’s arrival kick-started a turnaround that saw the Bears go 11-6 and win the division. As the success grew, fans became more invested and more excited. Everything culminated in one of the most electric atmospheres Williams has ever experienced in the playoffs at Soldier Field.

He admitted on Maxx Crosby’s podcast that it completely changed his perspective on the city.

Caleb Williams has awoken a sleeping giant.

Bears fans have always been crazy about their team. Keep in mind, this group of people showed up to the Super Bowl parade in January of 1986 in excess of 500,000 despite the weather being 30 degrees below zero. They have been begging the organization to put a winner on the field so they can finally demonstrate how incredible they are at creating unforgettable sports atmospheres. The fact it happened thanks to a young quarterback only makes the entire process that much sweet.

Remember, that position has haunted the Bears forever. They hadn’t had a true franchise quarterback since the end of World War II. Jim McMahon was a tremendous leader in the 1980s, but his career never really took off due to injuries. Jay Cutler had the talent and toughness, but was too inconsistent. Williams is the first player to display the durability and play-making wizardry to carry his team to victory every week. As a result, you saw home game attendance creep up over the course of the season. Bears fans were starting to believe.

Williams has a chance to turn Chicago into a weapon.

Bears fans have always been a vocal crowd. However, they haven’t really taken over games in the past, either due to apathy or a lack of belief that the team was capable of going all the way. Caleb Williams could change that. His ability to bring the Bears back from the brink of defeat has instilled a confidence in fans that hasn’t been there in decades. They’re starting to believe this team always has a chance. When you see that happen in any sport, the volume always crowds inside that stadium.

Opponents will find it more and more hostile, making it difficult to execute on offense, both because of the noise and the juice it gives the Bears’ defense. Williams, by contrast, will operate in mostly quiet conditions, able to execute the offense at will. Not only that, but Bears fans have always travelled well. They are certain to take over stadiums across the league, eager to see their quarterback. What Williams experienced in January is probably just a taste of things to come.

Sports Mockery reported not too long ago that tensions were rising inside Halas Hall. They stemmed from ownership, particularly George McCaskey, who was growing increasingly frustrated with team president Kevin Warren over his handling of negotiations for the new stadium. McCaskey has been led to believe the executive was an expert on getting stadiums built from his time in Minnesota. However, it has become clearer with each passing day that Warren’s reach exceeds his grasp.

Things were already on uncertain ground when the Bears president kept pivoting directions, going from Arlington Heights to downtown Chicago, back to Arlington Heights, and now flirting with the idea of moving to northwest Indiana. That was not something McCaskey wanted. However, he felt compelled to go along with it as the talks with Springfield kept stalling.

Finally, the two sides seemed to be gaining momentum towards a deal that would finally give the Bears infrastructure help and property tax certainty. Then Thursday happened. It started with the megaprojects bill hearing on the House floor being cancelled. Shortly after, the Bears released a statement applauding Indiana for passing a bill intended to help fund the construction of a new stadium district, most likely in Hammond.

The public statement caught Springfield by surprise, and many viewed it as a tasteless move by Warren. According to former sports journalist George Ofman, so did McCaskey.

Common sense once again eluded Kevin Warren.

It’s become apparent for some time that the Bears president is exceedingly tone-deaf when it comes to such matters. He constantly releases statments on the stadium at odd times, such as during the lead-up to the Bears highly-anticipated playoff clash with the Green Bay Packers. Before that, he went on national television and plugged the stadium subject like some wrestling promoter trying to create buzz for a pay-per-view. The guy has no concept of how to handle the media narrative, and it’s made him look like a bumbling fool.

Now he’s finally at the doorstep of a deal. The Bears have a route to infrastructure funding and property tax incentives. All he has to do is get it over the finish line in the legislature. Governor J.B. Pritzker is finally on board to make a deal. Then Kevin Warren fumbles the ball again, nixing the hearing and putting his foot in his mouth at the same time. This created a media firestorm that left the organization looking chaotic. Nothing Warren has done to this point comes across as competant.

Warren should be grateful the Bears had a winning season last year.

If not for head coach Ben Johnson’s instant success, there is a real possibility the president might’ve gotten fired for the series of setbacks he has overseen in the past year. That playoff victory over Green Bay may have saved his bacon without even realizing it. However, the continued frustration from the McCaskeys puts his job status in question. The longer this saga goes on without a resolution, the more tenous things become. Warren needs a win in the worst way.

Luckily, the bill is set for a new hearing date next week. If it goes through, the last hurdle will be clear. The Bears will get their property tax clarity and be free to negotiate with Arlington Heights on a fair rate. Estimates have it somewhere between $8-10 million. As for Kevin Warren, even if this does get across the finish line, it is fair to wonder whether the McCaskeys decide to keep him around. It’s worth noting that outside of Minnesota, he has never lasted at a job longer than four years, including his run as Big Ten commissioner.

That seems pretty telling.

The Chicago Bears will meet with several draft prospects over the next several weeks. General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Ben Johnson know the stakes. They must put together another strong class as they did in 2025 if they want this team to take the next step. That means nailing their 1st round pick again. Unfortunately, this time it won’t be in the top 10. They hold the 25th overall pick, which presents obvious challenges given their position so late in the order. It means they must be extra sharp with their evaluations to find the right player.

You have the usual approach: interviews, all-star games, scouting combine drills, and extensive interviews. However, another method teams often use that isn’t discussed as much is getting to know players through the team. It’s fair to wonder if the Bears might be doing that. Justin Melo of The Draft Network reported that the Bears were among the teams that met extensively with Missouri center Connor Tollison at the American Bowl. While there is no harm in eyeing more offensive line help, it seems odd they’d focus on a center with Drew Dalman in place.

Ryan Poles’ interest in Tollison might have ulterior motives.

While the Bears GM liking a highly athletic center with extensive experience is nothing new, it’s worth noting that two of Tollison’s teammates are heavy favorites to go early in the draft. Both fit key needs for the Bears. The first is defensive end Zion Young, who just dominated the Senior Bowl and has been mocked to Chicago more than a few times in the 1st round. They need pass rush help and he could be an excellent fit. Then you have linebacker Josiah Trotter, son of four-time Pro Bowler Jeremiah Trotter, who has plenty of experts excited. He’s drawn comparisons to Nick Bolton, who Ryan Poles helped draft in Kansas City.

The Bears will likely need linebacker help by April. Tremaine Edmunds could be cut soon. Noah Sewell is a free agent. T.J. Edwards had his worst season in a Bears uniform last year. Adding Trotter would be an understandable move. Tollison went against both guys in practice for years. If anyone can offer insight into how both operate, it would be the young center. Not to mention, there’s already a player on the roster who might’ve tipped them off to where to look.

Luther Burden is also a valuable asset to the Bears.

He played with Young and Trotter during his time with Missouri as well. There is a strong possibility he gave them a tip to look at both when he arrived in Chicago. Let’s also not forget the program has built a reputation over the past several years for productive, excellent NFL talent. Aldon Smith, Sheldon Richardson, Kony Ealy, and Markus Golden all came out as defensive linemen. Bolton went there as a linebacker. It is a talent pool worth looking into. As always, whatever Tollison has to say could shape how the Bears think either player fits in.

As for the center himself? Early projections have Tollison going somewhere on day three of the draft between the 5th and 7th rounds. While his athleticism is a big highlight of his game, most believe he lacks the size and power preferred. That will make him limited to specific schemes. Luckily, he would fit well in the Bears’ outside-zone system under Ben Johnson. Keep the name in mind this April. If the Bears grab Young or Trotter, we’ll know who gave the seal of approval.

We’ve long surmised that the reason George McCaskey and his family kick-started their efforts to get a new stadium built was that they were tired of residing in the smallest, most low-tech building in the NFL. Soldier Field might be an iconic landmark, but it has few of the amenities (and money-making opportunities) that more modern stadiums enjoy today. After the Chicago Park District rebuffed their attempts to upgrade Soldier Field in 2021, they placed a bid on Arlington Racecourse in Arlington Heights, starting their pursuit of a new home.

Apparently, there was a far bigger conspiracy at play. It has been rumored for the past few years that the McCaskey family might consider selling the team after Virginia’s death. Many of the younger generation aren’t interested in continued ownership and have been pushing to sell. Publicly, George has made it clear this is not the plan. However, Bears insider Jeff Hughes of Sports Mockery has heard differently. Many high-level people in the NFL think the McCaskeys will sell. Other owners want them to wait, though.

Why? They want to push the valuation of the franchise north of $9 billion. Last year, it sat at around $8.2 billion according to Forbes. Imagine what a brand new stadium will do for that number.

The McCaskey push for a new stadium now makes way more sense.

Remember, the family is among the NFL’s poorest owners. All of their worth is wrapped up in the Bears. A sale could have them walk away with maybe $10 billion and never have to deal with the headache of running the franchise again. George turns 70 years old this year. His brother Patrick is 76. They’re both reaching a point where they don’t have the mental energy to handle owning the team, and we’ve already established that many in the younger generations aren’t interested. History shows family-owned businesses are almost always sold by the third generation.

A new stadium is a common page in the playbook of owners looking to sell. It enhances a franchise’s appeal because state-of-the-art complexes have proven effective for long-term revenue generation. Younger owners can reap the rewards, while departing owners receive a golden nest egg for retirement. George may continue to insist there will be no sale, but all the warning signs are there. Why the sense of urgency to get started on construction unless you’re anxious to start the sale process before age catches up?

Finding a seller won’t be difficult at all.

The Chicago Bears are one of the most recognized sports brands in the world. They’ve existed for 125 years and carved out a legacy that every football fan knows. They reside in the third-largest media market in the country, with one of the largest fan bases in the sport. On top of all that, it now appears they have a head coach and quarterback combination prepared to bring them newfound success over the next several years. There is no way a prospective owner wouldn’t want to buy into that immediately.

Obviously, the question becomes who will make the purchase. There have been many rumors about big names like Jeff Bezos, Mark Cuban, and even Elon Musk. It’s worth noting that Pat Ryan, who has been a part-owner for decades, has the right of first refusal on any sale. He doesn’t have the money it would take alone ($8.1 billion net worth), but it wouldn’t be difficult for him to put together a collection of investors if that is what he wants.

It’s worth noting that Lukas Walton, the nephew of Walmart magnate Rob Walton, is based in Chicago and is estimated to hold $39 billion. His uncle already owns the Denver Broncos. Maybe that is one to watch as well.