Colston Loveland Poised to Join Bears Legend Mike Ditka in an Exclusive Club

Believe it or not, but the last Chicago Bears tight end to be named an All-Pro was Hall of Fame legend Mike Ditka, which he did twice in 1963 and 1964. Not even Greg Olsen accomplished this feat, not until he'd been traded to the Carolina Panthers. However, this shameful streak could very well end this year. Pro Football Focus (PFF) recently selected the players most likely to earn their first All-Pro nod in 2026, and Colston Loveland made the cut.

Why Colston Loveland can win his first All-Pro award in 2026

Colston Loveland's NFL journey began somewhat inauspiciously. Even on the night of the 2025 NFL draft, many analysts considered Loveland to be the wrong pick for the Chicago Bears, myself included. To make matters worse, he was almost a complete nonfactor in the first half of the year and even missed Week 4 with an injury, all while the Indianapolis Colts' Tyler Warren, the tight end selected four spots after Loveland, was terrorizing defenses in the AFC South.

But ever since he caught that game-winning touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9, Loveland has been on the fast-track to superstardom. He racked up 471 yards in his final six games and set an NFL record in the Bears' Divisional round loss to the Rams. Now with a full year of experience under his belt, Loveland should be able to get off to a fast start as he chases franchise history.

And that's not all. The Bears traded receiver DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills this offseason, which means his 85 targets from a year ago are up for grabs. Until either Rome Odunze or Luther Burden III establishes himself as the Bears' clear WR1, expect Loveland to vacuum up the lion's share of those targets.

Why Colston Loveland may not put up an All-Pro season in 2026

All that said, it's exceptionally difficult to win an All-Pro award in the NFL. Unlike the Pro Bowl, there's only one set of recipients for the entire league instead of one per conference. And unlike positions like wide receiver or running back, only one player can earn first-team and second-team honors.

Additionally, the NFL seems to currently have a surplus of elite tight ends. Travis Kelce and George Kittle may be older, but they're still dangerous on the field. Trey McBride has established himself as one of the game's best tight ends, while Brock Bowers, Sam LaPorta, Tucker Kraft, and Kyle Pitts are all young players on the cusp of superstardom. Loveland could rack up more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns and still fall short of an All-Pro nomination.

Lastly, his own team could work against him. Head coach Ben Johnson is a big believer in establishing a dominant run game and he's armed with one of the five best running back duos in the NFL. Also, as aforementioned, either Odunze or Burden is going to have a breakout year in 2026, and when they do, that's going to eat into Loveland's target share.

The Bottom Line

It's a tall task for any player to earn All-Pro honors, especially a second-year tight end. If anyone can do it, however, it's Colston Loveland. Once he got acclimated to NFL competition, he was nigh unstoppable. He blocks like an offensive tackle, has hands like a receiver, and carries the ball like a running back. I've never been more wrong about a Bears rookie than I was about Loveland, and I'm thrilled to be so wrong.

I won't go so far as to predict that Loveland will be an All-Pro in 2026, but I believe he's got the juice to make it happen. And even if not this year, it's more a question of 'when' rather than 'if' Loveland will become an All-Pro. And when it happens, he'll find himself in elite company with one of the greatest legends in Chicago Bears history.

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