Bear Digest

NFL History Predicts a Super Bowl Title for the Bears in 2026

A peculiar trend of recent Super Bowl winners points to the Bears earning their second Lombardi trophy next year.
Pete Martuneac|
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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For the first time in seven years, the Chicago Bears are entering a new offseason with expectations of improving on a division title and a playoff berth. This didn't work out so well for the Bears the last time they were in this position. Following a dominant 12-4 season in 2018, they proceeded to go 8-8 over the next two years. But there's reason to believe that this year will be different, that these aren't the same ol' Bears.

The reason why most people believe in these Bears is that they appear to have finally gotten the right head coach and quarterback. Caleb Williams' breakout season served as proof that he can be the franchise savior this city has been looking for since the 1940's, and the hiring of Ben Johnson as head coach of the Bears was arguably the biggest offseason win in franchise history.

But there's one more reason to feel good about the Bears' future, and it has nothing to do with anyone on the team. In fact, it's a link to the 2006 Bears team that advanced to but ultimately lost Super Bowl XLI. In a quirk of history, the last two Super Bowl champions have set the table for the Bears to emerge as the last team standing in 2026.

In 2004, the Philadelphia Eagles lost Super Bowl XXXIX to the New England Patriots, 21-24. Exactly 20 years later, they won Super Bowl LIX. Likewise, the Seattle Seahawks were defeated in Super Bowl XL by the Pittsburgh Steelers,10-21, only to emerge as Super Bowl champions exactly 20 years later.

You see where this is going. In 2006, Bears fans had their hearts broken in Super Bowl XLI by the Indianapolis Colts, losing 17-29. Adding insult to injury, this loss squandered Hall of Famer Devin Hester's historic touchdown on the game's opening kickoff, the first time a player ever returned the opening kickoff of the Super Bowl for a touchdown.

Is 2026 truly the Bears' year?

Obviously, this is not a scientific pattern or anything of the sort. It even borders on being silly. But, as aforementioned, there are very real reasons to believe that the Bears can finally add a second Lombardi trophy to Halas Hall in 2026, and it's largely due to an elite head coach-quarterback pairing. With another offseason under Ben Johnson's tutelage, and one that should be more about refining his skills rather than the 'drinking from a firehose' method of last offseason, Caleb Williams has every shot of cementing both himself as a Top 5 NFL quarterback and the Bears as perennial title contenders.

It's up to general manager Ryan Poles to find the final pieces of a Super Bowl champion. Making a major pass-rush move in free agency should be the first order of business this offseason, and it wouldn't hurt to find more quality depth in the secondary and offensive line, too. But the heavy lifting is done and, like Williams, he now only has to make certain refinements.

I won't tell Bears fans to start making plans for a Super Bowl parade next February, but I would keep my calendar clear, just in case.

Caleb William
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

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Pete Martuneac
PETE MARTUNEAC

A former Marine and Purdue Boilermaker, Pete has been covering the Chicago Bears since 2022 as a senior contributor on BearsTalk. He lives with his wife, two kids and loyal dog.

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