Bear Digest

Why the Bears Could Face More Pressure Than Any Division Winner

Did Ben Johnson go too far with his antics last year? An NFL Network panel is saying they have written some big checks that they must cover in 2026.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is swarmed by teammates after throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against Green Bay in Week 16.
Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is swarmed by teammates after throwing the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime against Green Bay in Week 16. | Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson enjoyed vacation time with his family at a Bulls game and Caleb Williams has been taking advantage of his celebrity this offseason.

All the Bears need to take advantage of this offseason away because when they return it will be a much more difficult challenge ahead than they faced last year. Not only is the schedule more difficult, but the expectations are much higher.

This topic was addressed Tuesday by NFL Network's Good Morning Football in its "Moving the Sticks" segment as the Bears were named by the most panelists as the team with the most to prove of the NFC division winners. That's a big statement considering the Super Bowl champion Seahawks are division winners who didn't make the playoffs the previous season, but it's probably true.

The team that makes the most noise will always get  attention. In other words, there's no more sneaking up on opponents for Johnson and the Bears.

The Bears didn't just win, they beat their chests as they continued to roll "7s" last year. And it was their coach stoking the fire.

"It's (if) what they did last year is sustainable," said panelist Manti Te'o, a former Bear. "What I'm referring to is Ben Johnson and 'bleep the Packers,' the postgame handshake (with Matt LaFleur), with the taking the shirt off, all of those antics. Can you continue to do that? Like, it's one thing to do the first year and bring excitement. I love it. But can you sustain that next year?

"There's going to be a satisfaction that many fans in the league take if the Bears take  a step back and all the sudden you look up and it's like, 'Oh, they're 7-10.' "

Johnson was writing big checks last year with everything he did to fuel the fire. Can he and the team follow that up against a tougher schedule?

Network panelist Kyle Brandt, a self-proclaimed Bears fan, pointed to their history of not following up on success as a reason to doubt them. He cited the 2019 year after their double-doink exit from the playoffs.

"Matt Nagy won coach of the year like Ben Johnson didn't this year  and then three years later it all fell in on itself," Brandt reminded. "And so it's like, don't feel like you have it made just because you won the NFC North."

Different situation now for Bears

Then again, if you've caught everyone's attention you were doing something right A team proving nothing like they did under Matt Eberflus will gather no attention except for laughter.

The Bears are in a position where they need to follow up on success, but at least  there was success to follow up on for a change.

The difference here from 2018 is their quarterback's potential as he seemed to catch fire in the season's second half, and the offense's success. Matt Nagy might have been an offensive-side coach and former coordinator but the 2018 team only won the division because of its defense.

The 2025 Bears had turnovers generated by a bad defense, but won games because of an offense ranked higher than any they’ve had since 1983.  

It appears more sustainable than any success they had since the 1980s run because of the young personnel in place and producing—particularly the quarterback.

In the NFL, they say “defense travels” as a way to explain the best way to win road games.

What travels from season to season is successful, established offense and a passing game.

Johnson has already shown, in Detroit, he can keep offensive momentum going from one season to the next, so there's every reason to think they can live up to those lofty expectations.  

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.