Predicting Chicago Bears' Primetime Games for the 2026 NFL Season

The Chicago Bears should have more primetime games in 2026. Let's take a look at some predictions to see which ones may end up on the national stage in primetime slots.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. | David Banks-Imagn Images

The release of the Chicago Bears' 2026 NFL schedule is right around the corner.

The NFL announced last week that it would drop the schedules for all 32 teams on Thursday, May 14. There will be a special on ESPN and NFL Network, but each team will release its schedule on its social media, like X, for example.

Ahead of the schedule release, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has been predicting that the Bears' schedule would be all over the place this season as the team sees more primetime games.

We tend to agree the Bears will get a bump from the three they had in 2025 considering their status as a contender.

As we predict who the Bears will face in prime time in 2026, we'll also predict Chicago will see five such contests. Here's the specific contests we're guessing will be primetime games.

Bears at Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald. | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

The Bears are one of the teams still in the running to square off against the Seattle Seahawks in the regular-season opener in Week 1 on Wednesday night.

The Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants have been ruled out after it was revealed they will play each other in Week 1. That leaves the Arizona Cardinals, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots as possibilities for the Seahawks game to begin the season.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo believes it'll be Chicago getting the nod versus Seattle.

"Not feeling a SB rematch so early and Mahomes uncertainty. Has long felt like Chicago to me. We’ll find out soon," Garafolo said.

Opening the 2026 season with a matchup between an ascending young quarterback in Caleb Williams, an elite play-caller in Ben Johnson and the Super Bowl champs, who also sport an elite defense, just makes too much sense.

Bears vs. Lions

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

This game is more than just about a pair of division rivals going at it. We know the history between Johnson and the Detroit Lions and that always makes for a great story the NFL wouldn't mind putting on primetime.

These two teams will also be in contention for the division crown, so every NFC North game is crucial. This one has all the makings of an ideal primetime game.

Bears vs. Packers

Green Bay Packers head coach Matt Lafleur. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the oldest rivalries in the league is always deserving of a primetime game, and that's especially true with this being a 2025 playoff rematch that features two legit contenders for the NFC North crown in the Bears and Green Bay Packers.

But what makes this matchup even more interesting is the history of awkward handshakes between the head coaches. We can only hope we get an icy post-game handshake between Johnson and Matt LaFleur on primetime in 2026.

Bears at Bills

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Josh Allen could be facing a house plant and the Buffalo Bills could still be on primetime. That's just the kind of draw the superstar quarterback is.

Now throw in Williams, Johnson, a contending Bears team and the DJ Moore revenge angle and you have a great primetime matchup people would love to tune into.

Bears vs. Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles are always a big draw. They are just one season removed from a Super Bowl title, have a rabid fan base, and they have been a magnet for dysfunction the past few seasons because of offensive issues.

And, like the Bears, they should once again be one of the better teams in the NFC and that's what we like to see on primetime: good teams squaring off against one another.