NFL World Reacts to Bears’ Clinching No. 1 Pick in 2023 Draft

Chicago was a big winner in Week 18 despite ending the season with a 3–14 record.

The biggest winner of Week 18, at least among teams not headed to the playoffs, is undoubtedly the Bears.

Chicago lost its season finale, 29–13, to the NFC North-champion Vikings to finish the season 3–14. By virtue of the Texans’ inexplicable, 32–31, win over the Colts, the Bears have earned the top pick in April’s draft. Houston finished the season 3-13-1.

In a draft that’s loaded with quarterbacks, the Bears will not be in the market for one, as Justin Fields took a substantial step forward in his second season as a professional. As such, the Bears are expected to be in a position to either take a non-quarterback of their choosing, or trade back for a haul of picks with a team that’s looking for a new signal-caller. If the Bears keep the pick, it will mark the first time they’ve selected first in the draft since 1947.

That’s before even mentioning Chicago’s cap situation, which is the envy of the league heading into the offseason. The Bears will have over $100 million in cap space to spend in free agency, and Chicago is expected to be a major force in chasing headline free agents.

Here’s a compilation of some of the top tweets from around the NFL world on Sunday afternoon as Chicago clinched the top pick in the draft. 

Lovie Smith, Bears legend. pic.twitter.com/8vbvL0s8Qt

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 8, 2023

Texans fans watching their team winning this game and handing the Bears the number one pick pic.twitter.com/i8pi3uYLmX

— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) January 8, 2023

THE BEARS WANT THE NO. 1 PICK
pic.twitter.com/ArZaoChDl4

— PFF (@PFF) January 8, 2023

THE TEXANS DON’T WANT THE NO. 1 PICK
pic.twitter.com/Jcm4sPi83U

— PFF (@PFF) January 8, 2023

Unbelievable drama: The #Texans go for 2 and take the lead over the #Colts and may have lost the No. 1 pick. 50 seconds to go.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2023

As Chicago watches, Houston is doing everything it can to win this game and lose the No. 1 overall pick.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2023

Texans fans watching them beat the Colts and lose the No. 1 pick 😅 pic.twitter.com/lrIhi3fKzJ

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 8, 2023

Texans fans watching their team win on a Hail Mary to lose the No. 1 overall pick in the draft pic.twitter.com/3L8A3xMQvf

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) January 8, 2023

the Texans should score a touchdown here and then punt the extra point into the stands to secure the No. 1 pick

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) January 8, 2023

Bears haven’t had No. 1 overall pick since they had it twice in the 1940s.

One of those picks was Michigan HB Tom Harmon.

This guy’s dad: pic.twitter.com/PxOFF6M9n1

— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) January 8, 2023