It isn’t a secret anymore that the hatred of the Green Bay Packers runs deep for Chicago Bears fans. Sure, it has always been prevalent over the past century that the two teams have existed. However, over the past 30 years, that hatred has steadily come to a boil thanks to the Packers’ sheer domination over the Bears, courtesy of Hall of Fame quarterbacks Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. However, now that the rivalry seems to have reached a balance of late after Chicago defeated Green Bay twice last season, fans no longer fear being vocal about that animosity.

Throughout the season, people began hearing “Green Bay sucks!” chants. Mind you, these were just before or after Bears games. They were popping up in other sports. It was at a Blackhawks game one week, and then a Bulls game the next. Even the Chicago Cubs saw it happen at Wrigley Field. It turns out, those were just preliminaries for the big debut.

The 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Milan, Italy. Many U.S. athletes made the trip in search of gold medal glory. That includes the men’s hockey team, which took on Latvia on February 12th. When the game was tied 1-1 in the 2nd period, the craziest thing happened.

The Chicago Bears’ presence on the global stage is very real.

Seeing those chants pop up in the Chicagoland area is one thing. To see it surface across an entire ocean in another country is something else entirely. If people weren’t convinced how far the Bears’ reach was before, those doubts were put to rest with this revelation. This team has been building a strong presence overseas for years. Many believe it started in 1986, when the defending champion team traveled to England for the American Bowl. The group endeared themselves to the locals, and interest in the franchise began growing. Now they’re said to be the second-most popular team in the country behind only the Dallas Cowboys.

It is also believed the Chicago Bears enjoy a strong following in Spain, which is only 375 miles from Italy. In hindsight, it shouldn’t be a surprise that several fans, both American and European, found their way to the Olympics. One could also argue that those chants had an effect. After they happened, the U.S. went on to score four unanswered goals, crushing Latvia 5-1. Hating Green Bay seems to bring out some magic these days.

The Bears will likely play an international game this year.

Up until now, the Chicago Bears have played all of their overseas games in the United Kingdom. However, with nine international games set up by the NFL for the 2026 season, there is a strong possibility the team will make its debut in a new country. Right now, the most likely options will be Germany, Spain, or Mexico. Keep in mind the Bears were given Spain as one of their designated regions by the league, and they could market exclusively in Spain, along with the United Kingdom. It feels like the perfect time for them to make their debut in Madrid this season.

Their opponent, based on the schedule, would probably be the Miami Dolphins. They also have marketing rights in Spain as well and would be the host team. It would be a fun rematch between Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, who was the Packers’ defensive coordinator before being hired there. Seems rather fitting when you think about it.

********************************UPDATE****************************************

Unfortunately, new information has revealed that the video clip has been edited, with the chants artificially inserted. While still entertaining, it’s not quite as monumental as one would hope. Kudos to the Bears fan for having the ingenuity to pull something like that off.

The Chicago Bears were one interception away from reaching the NFC Championship last month. They looked like a team gaining confidence with each passing minute. Sadly, they ran into an all-too-common reality check for new playoff arrivals. Turnovers will ruin your season. Three interceptions from Caleb Williams proved fatal in that game, sending the Bears home in overtime. Still, many feel the 2025 season was a mental breakthrough for the organization. They know they can hang with the best of the NFC now. All they need is one more strong push to get over the top.

If you believe in the football gods, it might be time to start thinking 2026 will be Chicago’s year. A wild trend is emerging. The Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2024. Now the Seattle Seahawks have done so this past season. What makes that so fascinating? Both of those teams lost the Super Bowl exactly 20 years prior. The Eagles fell in 2004 and the Seahawks in 2005. As we all know, the Bears tragically fell in Super Bowl XLI to the Indianapolis Colts in 2006.

Is it a coincidence that they just started becoming competitive the year before that anniversary? Talk about eerie.

The Chicago Bears will need some things to happen.

Above all, they will need a jump into productivity from their quarterback and head coach combination of Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson. In their first season, the two put together an unforgettable run, totaling 3,942 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. However, Williams lacked efficiency, which hurt the Bears in the playoffs. That said, it’s reasonable to expect even better results in year two as Williams’ mastery of the offense improves. History shows that there is often a lot of magic in QB and head coach duos in their second year together.

A 3-2 record is pretty solid in those situations. There is one problem, though. The three times the pairs won the championship, all had something in common. They had great defenses to lean on. New England was 6th in points allowed in 2001. Pittsburgh was 3rd in 2005. Seattle was 1st in 2013. Miami in 1984 was 7th, but that was misleading because it really started crumbling in the second half of the season. Cincinnati was 17th in 2021. The Chicago Bears were 23rd in 2025.

The Bears face good news and bad news on that front.

They have the first half of the equation figured out. Dennis Allen has already proven himself to be a top-quality defensive coordinator. What he got out of the Bears’ defense this season was impressive, considering the array of injuries it suffered, along with their well-established weakness. The hard part is giving it a strong enough infusion of talent to turn it from takeaway-reliant to an actual tough defense. The Chicago Bears won’t have the advantage of significant cap space or high draft picks to aid in that objective.

Poles must find a way to deliver. He’s shown he can find value on that side of the ball with later picks. Kyler Gordon was a 2nd round pick. Gervon Dexter was a 2nd round pick. Austin Booker was a 5th round pick. If he devotes the majority of his top draft choices to that side of the ball, the odds are favorable that he’ll come away with at least two good players.

That would position the Bears for a legitimate run.

The Chicago Bears won’t be able to go on a spending spree in free agency this year. If they do anything, it’ll likely be one or two notable moves at most, along with the usual bargain shopping. The obvious question is who they may target in such a scenario. Most of the focus has been on key positions like left tackle, defensive tackle, pass rusher, and safety. However, former Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson thinks they may pull a swerve. He thinks they may go after Kenneth Walker.

The reigning Super Bowl MVP had another strong season for the Seattle Seahawks, going for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns. However, with Zach Charbonnet already on the roster, most feel the champs will decide to let Walker hit the market. Robinson feels the running back would be a huge addition to Ben Johnson’s offense, boasting the mix of speed and contact balance the Bears head coach loves. Don’t forget Robinson played for him in Detroit, so he knows Johnson’s preferences.

Allen Robinson knows Johnson isn’t afraid to shake things up.

People will immediately say the Bears already have D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai. Why would they bother making a big move at running back with someone like Walker? Mostly because Johnson has done it before. Despite having Swift and Jamaal Williams in 2022, Detroit traded the former and let the latter walk in free agency. They signed David Montgomery as a free agent and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs in the 1st round. Swift is in the last years of his contract. He also has two more seasons of mileage on his body.

Releasing or trading Swift and signing Walker would be a calculated move to give the running back room a minor upgrade and maintain some stability. Current projections have the Seahawks star commanding around $9 million per year on his next contract. That is affordable for the Bears, at least compared to some of the other positions they’re expected to try, like edge rusher and left tackle. What Robinson says is correct. Not only would the Bears get a good player, but they’d also weaken the defending champions.

The Walker decision entirely depends on Swift.

Namely, what does Coach Johnson think the running back has left in the tank? He’s still only 27 years old. There is no reason to think he can’t put together at least two more good seasons before his body starts breaking down. Having Monangai spell him from time to time should only help with keeping him fresh. That said, smart teams always move off a player right before they hit their decline. Walker is squarely in his prime. He has a complete skill set that would fit perfectly in Johnson’s system.

Allen Robinson isn’t wrong about this idea. It has merit. Do the Bears really want to allocate their limited spending capacity to another running back? That feels unlikely. They already proved they can run the ball with this pairing. It would be wiser to go hunting for help at defensive line, safety, or left tackle. Running backs aren’t hard to find on the cheap anyway.

It isn’t a secret that the Chicago Bears will look to bolster their defense over the next three months. The unit was 29th in the NFL last season. They won’t win a championship with a unit that weak. Unfortunately, they don’t have the resources necessary to take many big swings in free agency. That means Bears general manager Ryan Poles must rely on calculated spending and another good draft. Near the top of their list of priorities is pass rusher. While there are plenty of intriguing names expected to be available next month, the Bears must be careful about how aggressive they’ll be. Enter Khalil Mack.

The nine-time Pro Bowler spent four years in Chicago from 2018 through 2021, collecting 36 sacks. Sadly, Poles was forced to trade him when he took over as GM, needing the cap space and draft picks to retool an aging and shallow roster. Things have changed since then. Chicago is younger, deeper, and coming off its best season in 15 years. Another jolt to their pass rush could push them one step closer to a Super Bowl. Is a reunion with Mack, who is set to become a free agent, entirely crazy?

Not at all. Let’s explore why.

Dennis Allen knows Khalil Mack

Everybody talks about Dennis Allen and his connection to Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson. They almost never recall that the Bears’ defensive coordinator also worked with Mack. Allen was the Oakland Raiders head coach in 2014 when they drafted the edge rusher out of Buffalo. It was only one season, but the two learned a lot about each other in a short time. Mack really started coming alive in the second half of that season. It’s fair to wonder what might’ve happened if he’d gotten to play for Allen longer.

Allen was fired after that season, and Khalil Mack continued his career under Jack Del Rio before eventually being traded to Chicago. The two have occasionally crossed paths since then. This marks the first real opportunity for a reunion in over a decade. We already know Allen understands what Mack can do. He was a central part of the draft evaluation in 2014. He’s also familiar with how to handle older pass rushers, as evidenced by his use of Cameron Jordan in New Orleans.

Mack will likely be cheaper than Trey Hendrickson

Remember, much of what the Bears do in free agency will be according to a strict budget. Hendrickson is predicted to cost somewhere north of $20 million per year. Mack is three years older than him. He turns 35 this year. Players that age never command top dollar. Current estimates put the cost at between $14 million and $18 million per year to sign him. While still expensive, it’s considerably less than what Hendrickson would command, and the Bears would likely only be on the hook for one year in any deal made.

If it works out? Great. If he fades? Though unfortunate, it won’t hurt their long-term prospects. Besides, history says top pass rushers can be productive at his age.

Khalil Mack had 5.5 sacks last season despite missing five games with injuries. When healthy, he’s shown he can still be a dangerous threat off the edge. If his snaps are managed properly, he would make a welcome addition.