Our dream 2025 schedule for the Chicago Bears

We’re just over 24 hours away from the official release of the 2025 NFL schedule.

But I’m tired of waiting.

As, I’m sure, are you.

So whaddya say we create our own Chicago Bears schedule, a schedule based strictly on our personal needs, hopes, and wants.

Forget about travel logistics. Forget about national television plans. Forget about rivalry month. Forget about what’s already been leaked. Let’s bang out our schedule, our way.

WEEK 1

@ Minnesota Vikings

Whaddya say we let the revamped Bears defense give Vikes pseudo-rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy his first taste of the NFL game? Trust me, it won’t be pretty.

WEEK 2

@ Philadelphia Eagles

An early-season visit to Pennsylvania to stare down a squad who could still be suffering from a Super Bowl hangover kinda makes sense.

WEEK 3

@ San Francisco 49ers

Is slotting a West Coast trip after a tough East Coast trip anything close to logical? You betcha, because immediately knocking a pair of annoying contests off the schedule will make October and beyond that much more manageable.

WEEK 4

vs. New Orleans Saints

After three weeks on the road, a home opener against a cupcake will be a beautiful thing.

WEEK 5

vs. New York Giants

A second consecutive cupcake is also a beautiful thing. At this point, Chicago will sport, at worst, a 2-3 record, with three of their most difficult games out of the way.

WEEK 6

vs. Detroit Lions

It just wouldn’t be fair to make Ben Johnson wait too long for his first revenge game, would it?

WEEK 7

@ Washington Commanders

At this point, the Bears should have some idea of who and what they are—plus they won’t be yet ground down from the long NFL season—so it’s the ideal time to play one of the toughest games on their schedule.

WEEK 8

@ Baltimore Ravens

See: Commanders, Washington above.

WEEK 9

Bye

After back-to-back rumbles with Washington and Baltimore, Caleb Williams et al very much deserve a week off.

WEEK 10

@ Green Bay Packers

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a well-rested team heading into Lambeau? Hells yeah, it would.

WEEK 11

vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

After four consecutive games against legit Super Bowl contenders, the Bears have earned a homer against a team that, as of this writing, doesn’t have a real starting quarterback.

WEEK 12

@ Las Vegas Raiders

By now, the Raiders will likely be well out of the playoff picture, so this could be a late-season laugher.

WEEK 13

vs. Dallas Cowboys

Could this be an NFC Finals preview? Probably not, but this might be one of the most enjoyable games of the year.

WEEK 14

@ Cincinnati Bengals

The Bears' offense should be firing on all cylinders, and against Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, they’ll need all the scoring they can get.

WEEK 15

vs. Cleveland Browns

After track meets against Dallas and Cincy, Chicago will be in desperate need of a chill week in which they can beat up on a rookie quarterback.

WEEK 16

vs. Minnesota Vikings

Will J.J. McCarthy have his act together by the season’s home stretch? Welp, he’ll be dealing with his first December game at Soldier Field, so it might not matter.

WEEK 17

vs. Green Bay Packers

Yeah, Chicago upset the Packers in Green Bay last year, but it’d be way more advantageous to wrap up their season series at home.

WEEK 18

@ Detroit Lions

Finally, the Ben Johnson Bowl. This would be an insane end to what might be an insane season.